


eighteen going on extinct

by klaineanummel



Category: Glee
Genre: (kind of), Alternate Universe, Discussion of Abortion, Discussion of Drug Addiction, Foster Kid Blaine, Kurt is the baby Quinn had in high school, M/M, Minor Violence, Not Puck Friendly, Underage is in the past, badboy kurt, discussion of alcoholism, emotionally abusive relationship, past dub-con, underage dub-con and emotional abuse are NOT KLAINE
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-12
Updated: 2018-11-30
Packaged: 2019-07-02 16:22:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 20
Words: 61,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15800223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/klaineanummel/pseuds/klaineanummel
Summary: Kurt Fabray just wants to relax after a tough week at school, but that is shown to be impossible when he realizes that his absent father has once again blown into town. Not wanting to spend more time around him than necessary, Kurt goes to his old babysitters house, the one place he feels safe when his father is in town. While there, he stumbles upon a secret he knows he was never meant to find out - one that could change the entire course of his life.An AU very loosely based on Mamma Mia.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so. This fic. 
> 
> I wrote this fic back in November of 2017, for NaNoWriMo. I have not posted it before now for two reasons: 1) I had to do some heavy edits to the final few chapters of the story, and 2) by the time I was getting ready to post it, near the end of January, it was announced that Mark Salling had died. Because of the nature of this story, and of Puck's role in it, I did not feel it was appropriate to begin posting it until at least six months after his passing. 
> 
> So, even though I've tagged it, I want to make this very clear in case somebody is still upset over his passing, or just really loves Puck: this story is not kind to Puck. He is not a good man. This story basically explores a Puck that was never in glee club. A Puck who never went through all the character development we saw on the show. This is a Puck who is in his late thirties, but still acting like he did during the first few episodes of season one. He is not a good guy. I don't want to spoil too much of this story (I've already had a hard enough time figuring out a summary that doesn't spoil the whole dang thing), so if you want to know about the possibility of redemption for Puck within this story before you read it, please message me privately on [my tumblr](http://klaineanummel.tumblr.com/ask) and I will let you know. But just know that if you are a big Puck fan, this is not the story for you. 
> 
> All that aside, this is a heavy fic. I've tagged everything I can think of that is dealt with, but it is possible that I've forgotten something, so if you read something you feel warrants a warning, please let me know! As well, you can always message me on tumblr for details about any warnings that may concern you in particular. I do want to specify that the dub-con aspect is non-explicit, and is in no way related to Klaine. It does relate to the underage warning, though. Again, if you are concerned about anything, let me know and I'll answer any questions (privately, of course).

Kurt is mere seconds away from missing the bus that stops in front of the school, which means it’s already so full of students that he’s forced to stand near the front of the bus. Sure, things will clear out as the route goes along, but for now he’s pressed tightly against the bar, trying desperately not to touch anybody. He grips the bar, purposefully glaring out the window as the bus starts up, the music blasting in his ears allowing him to tune out the inane chatter of the students around him.

As the bus rattles, Kurt considers getting off a couple of stops early to grab a pizza at Little Caesars. He had a shitty day at school today, after all, and he did just get paid. It would be nice not to have to cook for once, plus he knows his mom secretly loves Little Caesars, even if she pretends she doesn’t.

It’ll suck having to either walk the rest of the way home or wait for the next bus, though.

The bus stops and somehow a few more people cram themselves in. A middle-aged woman is pressed up against Kurt’s back, and Kurt grips the bar even tighter.

Maybe he can convince his mom to drive him to the pizza place. She’ll probably go for it once he tells her he’s springing for it. Or he can just fuck it all and order delivery from Giovanni’s, in West Lima. It’s been a while since he treated himself to pizza that cost more than five dollars.

Fuck it. He had a really shitty day at school. He _deserves_ Giovanni’s.

Someone reaches across Kurt’s face to press the stop button, and Kurt scowls. He can’t wait till he’s saved up enough to buy himself a car. Even the shittiest clunker would be better than this.

Several people get off the bus at the next stop, though, enough for Kurt to feel like he actually has room to breathe. He turns around and leans against the bar instead of gripping it, eyes lazily flicking over the rest of the people on the bus for the first time.

He smirks when his eyes fall on the new kid, sitting near the back door with his backpack in his lap, staring worriedly up at the next stop indicator at the front of the bus.

He doesn’t know the kid’s name, but he does know that he’s gorgeous. He’s a year younger than Kurt, from what he’s gathered, and just moved to Lima over the summer. He’s sat alone at lunch every day for the past two weeks, earphones jammed in his ears, slowly eating packed lunches out of brown paper bags.

He also takes the same bus as Kurt home from school, getting off four stops before Kurt does.

The boy’s eyes turn to Kurt, but Kurt doesn’t look away. He smirks and raises an eyebrow instead. The boy holds his gaze for several seconds, then rolls his eyes and looks back up at the next stop indicator.

He’s done the same thing every day for two weeks now. And honestly, Kurt is getting ready to move their relationship to the next level.

The talking level.

There’s a possibility the guy isn’t into dudes, but Kurt doubts it. Every time Kurt sees him he’s wearing one of two bowties. They’re tattered, mind, and ugly as hell, but they’re still bowties. Kurt doesn’t know any straight guy who goes out of his way to wear bowties to school.

So, either he just isn’t into Kurt, or he’s playing hard to get.

Kurt really hopes it’s the latter. The dude is _smoking_.

The bus stops and the girl sitting beside Bowtie Boy stands up. Kurt doesn’t hesitate, pushing his way past the few people still standing and sliding into the seat instantly.

He pops his earphones out of his ears and grins. “Hey,” he says.

Instead of turning to look at him, Bowtie Boy turns his head toward the window, prominently displaying the earphones in his ears. Kurt can see his reflection in the window, though, and grins as they make eye-contact.

The boy rolls his eyes again, then turns to look at Kurt. He plucks one earphone out of his ear and raises an eyebrow. “Can I help you?”

Kurt grins. “I think you can,” he says. He holds his hand out to the boy. “I’m Kurt.”

The boy doesn’t even glance at the proffered hand, instead keeping his eyes glued to Kurt’s. “How can I help you, Kurt?”

Kurt tilts his head. This boy’s got an attitude. “Well, you could tell me your name, for starters.”

Bowtie Boy’s eyebrow rises further. He looks over Kurt’s face, eyes briefly lingering on his lips. Then he looks back up to the front of the bus. “Blaine,” he says quietly. He places his earphone back into his ear, and Kurt smirks.

Kurt watches him for a while, but it’s clear that Bowtie Blaine isn’t going to budge. Still, he can see the way the boy is clutching his backpack tightly, fingers clenching the plain black fabric far harder than he needs to.

Definitely playing hard to get.

The name of the boy’s stop plays over the speaker, and Bowtie Blaine quickly tugs the string down. He stands up immediately and gives Kurt a withering look.

Kurt stretches out, biting down on his lip. Bowtie Blaine sighs and rolls his eyes. He takes an earphone out of his ear again and says, “My stop is coming up.”

“Not for a bit,” Kurt replies. “Why are you in such a hurry to get away?”

Bowtie Blaine rolls his eyes again. “Can you just move, please?”

Kurt stares at him, daring him to back down, but Bowtie Blaine seems resolute. When Kurt doesn’t move after about ten seconds, the boy rolls his eyes again and starts stepping over Kurt’s legs.

Kurt stays still, watching the boy struggle. He’s clearly determined, and manages to get out of the seat before the bus comes to a full stop. He stumbles a little as his foot catches Kurt’s leg, but rights himself quickly.

Before he steps off the bus, he purposefully turns around and glares at Kurt. He then shouts, “Back door please!” at the driver, and once the door opens he leaves without another glance back.

For a brief second Kurt considers getting off the bus after him, just to see where the guy lives, but before he can make up his mind the door is closing and the bus is starting back up.

Kurt slumps in his seat, tossing his backpack onto the now-empty window seat and putting his headphones back in. Whatever. It’s probably better that he doesn’t stalk this guy. As hot as he is, Kurt doesn’t need to get in over his head with a guy – again.

‘Glad You Came’ comes on his shuffle, and he scowls, shoving his hand into his pocket and pulling his phone out, pressing the _next_ button with probably too much force. He doesn’t care. He doesn’t feel like thinking about Sebastian now. Not after the day he’s had.

He slumps further in his seat as a song that decidedly doesn’t remind him of his ex comes on. One of the people still standing gives him a dirty look, glancing to the empty seat next to him, but Kurt ignores him He’s in a mood, and he needs people to see it so they’ll back the fuck off.

Honestly, he’s surprised it took everyone at school this long to find out that Sebastian dumped his ass as soon as he left the state. After all, Sebastian was a bit of a legend at McKinley, seeing as he was one of the few students that actually had money, was an ace lacrosse player, and good looking to boot.

When they got together everybody said it would never last.

He fucking hates that they were right. And now they get to rub it in his face.

The bus is practically empty by the time Kurt’s stop rolls around. Santana Lopez is the only other student who rides the bus all the way into Lima Heights, and she’s the next stop down. She isn’t on the bus today, though, which Kurt appreciates. She was practically the head of the ‘Sebastian is too good for you, you Lima Fucking Loser’ brigade, and she’s been giving him this annoying smirk ever since he got on the bus to school that morning. He’s glad he didn’t have to deal with her bullshit all the way home, too.

He hops off the bus with a casual wave at the driver and starts heading in the direction of his apartment building.

He decides to briefly pop into the corner store and pick up a bottle of Coke to have with his pizza; he doesn’t feel like paying for Giovanni’s overpriced soda. The college student behind the register gives him a far too judgemental look when Kurt pulls out his debit card to pay instead of the usual crumpled bills. Kurt swipes his card and scrunches his face at the employee. This asshole’s been giving him shit ever since Kurt’s card got declined for a $1.49 bag of Cheetos.

Fucking prick. It’s not like he’s living it up, working in a convenience store in Lima Heights. Kurt grabs his soda and his receipt and resists the urge to flip the guy off as he leaves.

He takes a brief swig of the two litre bottle as he walks the last few minutes between the corner store and his apartment building, considering calling Giovanni’s on his way home so he can get it at soon as possible.

When he reaches the front door to his building, his eye briefly catches on a gorgeous motorcycle in the guest parking lot. He whistles lowly, eyes roving over the gorgeous machine. It’s either new or very well taken care of.

He hopes whoever owns it has enough sense to get it out of this neighbourhood before nightfall.

He unlocks the front door and pushes it open, pausing to let a couple that lives a floor above him out. Then, he heads to the stairwell, climbing up to the third floor easily.

Their apartment is right by the stairwell, which is a pain in the ass during the weekends, but is nice after school. He unlocks the deadbolt and opens the door, calling out, “Mom, I’m home!” as he does.

He turns to lock the deadbolt back up, tossing his keys on the little table they keep by the door. It’s only when he turns back around that he notices the muddied boots sitting in their entrance.

He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. “For fuck’s sake,” he whispers.

His mom pops her head out through the doorway into the kitchen, blonde hair curling up at the edges and smiling softly. “Hey, baby,” she says. “How was school?”

“Please tell me those don’t belong to who I think they belong,” he says, pointing at the boots.

His mom’s smile instantly falls. “Kurt…”

The sound of the toilet flushing rushes through the apartment and Kurt shakes his head, jaw already clenching.

“Kurt,” his mom repeats. “Be nice.”

“Why is he here?” he hisses.

She doesn’t have time to answer. The door to the bathroom flies open and Puck steps out, rubbing his hands together and saying, “Quinn, that two-ply shit is fucking awful. You have to get yourself some three-ply paper at least; I had four-ply out in LA, felt like God was licking my ass every time I wiped.”

Puck is still laughing at his own disgustingness when he catches sight of Kurt. Instantly, he smiles. “Hey, buddy!” He opens his arms up and starts walking toward him. “Long time no see, huh?”

Kurt manages to avoid the hug, squeezing past him through the tight hallway that leads straight to the living room. “Whose fault is that?” he spits, scowling.

“Kurt!” His mom is glaring at him, but Kurt ignores her, keeping his eyes on Puck.

“It’s cool, Q,” the man says, raising his hands as if accepting defeat. They’re still wet. “I get it. Kid’s got a right to be upset that his old man isn’t around as much as he should be.”

Kurt narrows his eyes. “Why are you here?”

Puck grins. “To see you, of course. And your mom. Missed you guys.”

“Yeah, I bet,” Kurt says, snorting. He turns to his mom and says, “I’m not sleeping here if he is.”

“Kurt, come on,” she says, voice going soft in that way it always does when she wants something from him. “Your dad drove all the way here just so he could spend some time with you.”

Kurt turns to Puck, jaw still clenched. “You drove?” he asks. That’s new. Normally the guy shows up on a bus, to gain extra pity points from his mom.

“Yeah. I got a sweet new ride. It’s out front, if you want to check it out?”

“That’s yours?”

“She’s my baby,” Puck confirms.

Kurt presses his lips together, glancing over at his mom. She has a pleading look in her eye, one she only gets when Puck’s around.

“Right,” Kurt says. “Look, I was planning on going out tonight anyway, and I’m not going to cancel my plans because you decided to grace us with your presence.”

“Kurt!” his mom scolds yet again. Kurt ignores her.

“That’s cool,” Puck says, hands once again raising in defeat. “I’m gonna be sticking around for a while, so we’ll definitely have time to catch up.”

“Fantastic,” Kurt drawls. He turns on his heel and heads through the living room toward the door in the far corner, pushing it open without looking back and shutting it tight behind him.

He can hear his mom and Puck talking quietly behind his door and groans, throwing his backpack onto his desk chair and setting the bottle of coke on his desk. He kicks his shoes off and falls onto his bed.

So much for his awesome relaxing plans.

He hates when Puck does this. Decides he wants to be a dad for a week. Not that that’s ever his real reason for coming back to Lima, but he always claims it is.

Kurt groans again and turns so that he’s lying on his stomach, face pressed against his pillow. He desperately wants to scream.

As if today hadn’t been shitty enough already.

There’s a soft knock on his door, and he doesn’t have time to tell his mom to go away before she’s opening the door and coming in.

He hears the door click shut behind her, but stays where he is.

For a while she doesn’t say anything, and Kurt hopes that it’ll keep up. Maybe she’ll change her mind about whatever bullshit she wants to spew at him. She does that from time to time.

Never with Puck, of course, but Kurt can dream.

After a few minutes of silence, she says, “You know he’s just trying to be your dad.”

Kurt snorts, moving his head so he’s facing his wall. “Sure.”

“Kurt,” she says quietly, footsteps moving toward his bed. She sits down at the edge and puts a hand on his shoulder. “This isn’t like the other times, okay? He’s in a good place. He isn’t here-”

“To ask for money?” Kurt finishes, sitting up. He shakes his head. “Mom, come on. You don’t seriously buy this motorcycle shit, do you? He hasn’t paid child support in eight months, but suddenly he’s in a good enough place to buy a _motorcycle_ ? Come on, mom. Money’s the only reason he _ever_ comes here.”

“Not this time,” she says. “He… he misses you. He misses us.”

Kurt closes his eyes. He can feel the tears wanting to come, but he refuses to let them fall. “Mom, no. Don’t do this.”

“I’m not – look,” she huffs and pushes a lock of hair out of her face, “your dad came to see you, and you’re being an asshole to him. Can you at least pretend to be civil? I thought I raised you better.”

Kurt can’t help but smile at that, despite the situation. “Yeah, right,” he says, bumping their shoulders together. She chuckles.

They’re quiet for a few moments. Then Kurt says, “He’s just going to use us again.”

“I promise it’s not like that this time.”

“That’s what you say every time, and it’s _always_ like that. Come on, mom. Don’t be naïve.”

She turns to him, green eyes as cold as steel. “It’s not naïve to want us to have a normal family for once, Kurt.”

“We _are_ a normal family!” He gestures between them. “You and me. That’s all we need. We don’t need _him_ to be normal. We’ve never needed him.”

She shakes her head and stands up. “This isn’t a discussion I’m having with you again, Kurt. Your dad is staying for a few days and you _will_ be civil to him. Got it?”

Kurt bites the inside of his cheek. She gives him a challenging look, the one he used to try and mimic for hours in the mirror. He sighs.

“Whatever,” he says. “I still have plans tonight, though.”

“I thought you weren’t working tonight.”

“ _Social_ plans, mom. With my friends.”

She licks her lips, and he tries to ignore the way her eyes soften in pity. He hates when she does that.

“Kurt-”

“Whatever, mom,” he says. “Can you just leave? Go give him some placating story about how everything will be fine soon enough, how I’ll come around, or whatever it is you tell him that makes him think it’s okay to keep coming back here. I have to change.”

She stares at him for a few more moments, then nods. She heads back toward his door, but briefly pauses when she gets there.

“He just wants to get to know you, Kurt,” she says quietly. “He’s your dad.”

“No, he’s not,” Kurt says. “If he was my dad he wouldn’t have fucked off like he did.”

She doesn’t respond for a moment, and Kurt worries that she’s trying to come up with some kind of retort. Instead, she just shakes her head and leaves the room. He watches her go, feeling bad for taking his frustration out on her.

Still, it’s not like she’s about to tell Puck to fuck off, either.

He watches the door for a bit, then pulls his phone out of his pocket. He scrolls through his contacts, finding who he wants relatively quickly. He presses the call button and raises the phone to his ear.

It rings a couple of times before a deep voice answers with a surprised, “Kurt?”

“Hey,” he says, hand clenched at his thigh. “I, uh.” He clears his throat. “There’s a situation at my house. Is it okay if I stay with you guys tonight?”

He instantly receives a positive response, and he thanks his friend before hanging up, telling him that he’ll be there soon. He shoves his phone back into his pocket, then heads to his desk. He quickly empties his school supplies out of his backpack, leaving them lying askew on the desk. He then shoves a pair of sweatpants, a ratty shirt, some clean underwear, and his work uniform into it. He manages to fit the bottle of Coke in with his clothes as well. He makes sure he has his wallet too, then slings it over his shoulder, pulls his shoes back on, and heads out of his room.

Puck and his mom are sitting on the couch whispering. They stop when he emerges, and he rolls his eyes.

“I’m going to stay at a friend’s,” he says.

Puck is the one who replies, with a suspicious, “Is this a guy friend?”

Kurt turns to glare at him. “The fuck’s it to you?”

“Hey,” his mom says, standing up.

Puck puts his hand on her arm. “It’s fine, Q.” Then, to Kurt, “I was just asking, bud. Just want you to be safe.”

Kurt rolls his eyes. “Yeah, sure,” he says. He heads toward the front door, grabbing his keys from the table and unlocking the deadbolt. “Oh, by the way,” he says as he opens the door. “You’re going to want to put your baby in the garage for the night. It’ll be cramped, but at least it’ll be indoors. Nothing that nice lasts long sitting out in this neighbourhood.”

He doesn’t give them a chance to respond, walking out the door and slamming it shut behind him. He doesn’t even bother to stop and lock the deadbolt, instantly heading to the stairwell.

What an amazing fucking day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [rebloggable on tumblr](http://klaineanummel.tumblr.com/post/178016755995/eighteen-going-on-extinct-120)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure why, but this fic isn't showing up on my AO3 home page, at least not on my computer, and hasn't shown up on the Blaine/Kurt tag either? Hopefully this update will push it on there, but who knows. If anyone knows how to fix this issue, let me know! (or let me know if the fic has been showing up for you, because it might just mean that my computer is messed, or my wifi has been too weak lately). 
> 
> I completely forgot to mention this on the first chapter, but a million thanks go to mailroomorder. I really don't know what I would do without you. You take every single one of my fics and actually make it readable. I literally owe you a million thanks for all you've done for me, not only for this fic, but throughout the years. I love you <3 <3 <3 <3
> 
> Hope you enjoy!! :D

It takes a while to get to the south side of Lima. The bus system is shit, and he has to switch buses twice to get where he needs to go, and even once he’s there he has to walk a good ten minutes before he reaches the Berry-Hudson house.

He kicks a stone as he walks down the sidewalk, admiring the lack of graffiti on the building walls. All the houses over here have nice yards and are separated by fences. Some even have pools.

Where he lives, the nicest place you can get is an attached home, but they’re all rentals. He and his mom lived in one for about a year when he was seven, back when she was dating Big Steve. It didn’t last long, but it had been nice to briefly live somewhere other than an apartment.

Finn and Rachel’s house isn’t as big as some of the others on their street, but it’s still bigger than anything Kurt’s ever lived in. He pushes the gate open, glancing at the pruned shrubs that line that walkway up to their front door. He wonders if they take care of those themselves or if they pay someone to do it.

He knocks on the door, shoving his hands in his pockets. He hasn’t been here in a while, which sort of makes him feel like he’s taking advantage of their hospitality.

Finn opens the door, smiling that dopey smile of his and instantly getting out of the way.

“Hey, man,” he greets, patting Kurt on the back as he walks into the house. “Long time, no see.”

“Uh, yeah,” Kurt says, taking his shoes off as soon as he’s in the house (it may have been a while, but he still remembers Rachel’s house rules). “Sorry about that. It’s just…”

“Don’t worry, dude,” Finn says, still grinning. “We’re just glad you still felt okay to call. Come on, we just finished making supper.”

Kurt nods. “Cool,” he says. “I, uh. I brought Coke. I know Rachel doesn’t really drink carbonated stuff, but-”

“Thanks!” Finn starts to lead him toward the dining room. “Just means more for you and me, right?”

Kurt can’t help but smile at the endless optimism that the man exudes. He’s already feeling better than he has all day, just from being around him for a few seconds. He really needs to come here more often.

Rachel is just placing some cups around the already-set table when he walks in. She’s just as tiny as ever, and her smile is just as big as it always is when he comes over. “Kurt, hi!” she greets hurrying over to him and wrapping him in a big hug. “It’s so good to see you.”

He hugs her back, still feeling a little strange about being so much taller than her (he can’t even imagine how Finn must feel). He remembers when would accompany Finn when he’d babysit Kurt, and how Kurt used to wish he’d one day grow to be at least as tall as Rachel.

“We made a broccoli casserole, but Finn also has some hot dogs in the fridge he thinks I can’t see,” she winks at him. “We can heat some of those up in the microwave, if you’d like?”

Kurt instantly shakes his head. He’s already had hot dogs twice this week. “Broccoli casserole sounds perfect.”

“Wonderful! Oh, I forgot what a perfect guest you are. You really do need to come around for dinner more often.”

Kurt can’t help but smile as she leads him toward the chair at the end of the table. “Yeah, I’ve been meaning to come around. It’s just been so crazy with my job and school starting up and everything.”

“That’s right,” Finn says, coming out of the kitchen with the casserole dish in hand. Rachel sits on Kurt’s left, and Finn takes the seat to the right. “You’re at McDonald’s, right?”

Kurt shakes his head. “Wendy’s. McDonald’s let me go.”

Finn sets the casserole dish down, and glances at Kurt. “Did they have reason to?”

Kurt shrugs. “The GM was dating my mom, but he cheated on her. I skipped a shift to console her and he said that wouldn’t fly. So… technically, I guess.”

He watches as Finn and Rachel exchange a glance; the same glance they exchange every time he mentions his mom.

“Well, it’s good you got another job, then,” Rachel says, eyes still on Finn. “I prefer Wendy’s anyway. Better vegan options.”

That’s not true, and they all know it, but Kurt just nods and says, “Yeah.”

Rachel starts serving the casserole, and Kurt barely manages to wait until it’s all scooped onto his plate before he digs in. He hasn’t had anything like this in _so_ long. Eric, the GM at McDonald’s, used to cook dinner for his mom sometimes and she’d bring back leftovers, but since he fucked off it’s mostly been take out and quick meals. It’s not like either of them really has the time to cook.

“So,” Rachel says as Kurt shovels food into his mouth. “How’s, um. How’s Sebastian?” Kurt glances up at her and sees her smiling tightly. “Is that still… happening?”

Kurt shakes his head, and he can see her shoulders slump in relief. “He moved away, for college. Got into Yale.” He shrugs, stabbing a piece of broccoli with his fork. “Finally realized everyone else was right and he really was too good for me.”

“Hey,” Finn says harshly, causing Kurt to jump. “That’s not true, okay? If anything, you were way too good for him.”

Rachel is nodding along. “His parents were my neighbours growing up, and sometimes I’d babysit Sebastian when he was younger. He was always a little brat.”

That makes Kurt smile. “He didn’t take too well to not getting his way, did he?” he chuckles, thinking back on the time Sebastian tried to get Kurt to go down on him when he really didn’t feel like it. He’d stormed out of his room in a huff, only to return two minutes later saying that this was his house and Kurt needed to leave.

It wasn’t like it was the best relationship, and Kurt is well aware of that. Still sucks that everybody saw it before he did.

They chat casually for a while. Kurt pulls the Coke out of his bag and Finn goes to get them some ice. Rachel ends up pouring herself a half-glass, though her face scrunches up as she drinks it, which makes Kurt and Finn laugh.

Finn tells him about his middle-school students and how they’re currently writing their own plays. He’s so enthusiastic as he talks, hands gesturing wildly, the grin never leaving his face. Kurt wishes that he’d attended West Lima Middle School instead of North; he really would have liked to have Finn as a teacher.

Rachel briefly talks about how she’s considering going back on the road for a national tour of Wicked. She’s mostly been producing plays lately, but apparently she’s been feeling the performing itch.

Although he thinks Finn is awesome, and knows he’s the best teacher ever, he really admires Rachel and the work she does. Even if McKinley High School and North Lima Middle School didn’t really have drama programs, he’s always been interested in acting and singing. Rachel helps put on most of the productions that come to Columbus and has gotten several smaller theater companies off the ground; plus, she used to be on _Broadway_. He’d love to step into her shoes, even just for a day.

He listens intently as Rachel talks about the audition process, and how it’s down to her and two other girls for Elphaba, though she’s sure she has the role in the bag. He loves hearing her talk about the theater world, even the inanest aspects of it. He once listened to her talk for an hour about what brands of make-up were better to wear on stage.

When she’s finished, a bit of a silence falls over the table. Kurt is too awed by her stories to say anything, but Finn seems to have something else on his mind.

After a few minutes of silence, during which Kurt scoops himself a little bit more casserole, Finn turns to him and asks, “Kurt, why did you call me tonight?”

Kurt pauses, his fork full of broccoli and potatoes halfway to his mouth. “Um.”

“You said there was a situation, but you didn’t explain.” He turns a little in his chair. “Is it your dad? Is he back?”

Kurt sighs and places his fork on the plate. He slumps in his chair and runs a hand through his hair. “Yeah,” he says quietly. “Totally blindsided me. He was there when I got home from school. Drove down from LA to ‘see me,’ or so he says.”

Rachel reaches a hand out to take his. “Does your mom know you’re here?” she asks.

Kurt shakes his head. “Told her I was with some friends, just didn’t say who. I didn’t…” he glances at Finn, then looks down at his plate. “Puck gets weird when I mention you guys.”

The look they exchange tells him they know exactly what he means by ‘weird’.

“How long is he staying?” Rachel asks.

Kurt shrugs. “Who knows. Mom says he’s on his feet, that he isn’t here for money, but I don’t trust him. He’s got a fancy new motorcycle, but that doesn’t mean shit. Last time he brought me $300 season passes to see the Buckeyes, but still begged mom for a couple grand to help him ‘get back on his feet,’” he lowers his voice and puts air quotes around the words. He shakes his head. “She wants me to be nice to him because he’s my dad, but I don’t think that’s enough. Just because he donated part of my DNA doesn’t mean he’s my father, you know?”

Finn and Rachel exchange another look, which Kurt ignores. Instead, he continues his rant.

“It’s just stupid. She never takes shit from anyone. When Eric cheated on her she kicked him so hard in the balls that he limped for a week. One time a boyfriend stole ten dollars from her purse and she punched him right in the nose when she found out. But with Puck? It’s like she turns into this pathetic schoolgirl with a crush that she just can’t get over. He can literally do whatever he wants, and she’ll never see the truth that he’s a deadbeat asshole who could give two shits about her.”

“She was always like that with Puck…” Rachel says, shaking her head. She smiles at Kurt and squeezes his hand. “We know it’s tough for you to be around him, so please, feel free to stay here as long as you want, okay?”

Finn nods along, and Kurt smiles. “Thanks, guys. You know, for letting me come over, and for letting me rant.”

“Any time. We mean it.”

They finish dinner soon after that, and Finn suggests they watch a movie. He lets Kurt pick, claiming that Rachel will just make them watch “A Star is Born” for the hundredth time. Kurt picks “Yentl” just to mess with him.

Their TV is a lot bigger than Kurt’s, and their sofa is softer. Kurt curls his legs under himself and thanks Finn halfway through the movie when the man passes him a throw. He pulls the throw close to his body, feeling cozy and safe.

He always feels safe in the Berry-Hudson house.

When the movie ends, Rachel suggests they play a board game, so Finn pulls out Sorry! They play a few rounds, laughing and teasing each other. Rachel wins every round to absolutely nobody’s surprise.

By around eleven Rachel admits she’s ready to call it a day. She gives Kurt a kiss on the forehead and thanks him for coming over, reiterating yet again that their door is always open for him. Finn says he thinks he should head to bed, too, and Kurt reluctantly says that he has a shift in the morning, so he should probably hit the hay, too.

The guest room is all set up for him, just the way it always is. The blankets and pillows are piled high, and Kurt already feels his heartbeat speeding up at the thought of sleeping in the queen-sized bed, as opposed to the twin he has in his room at home.

Finn bids him goodnight, leaving him alone. He smiles as he changes into his pajamas, thankful for the millionth time for Finn and his wife.

They’ve always been good to him. Finn was always his favourite babysitter when he was a kid, and he was the only one who kept in touch even when he stopped needing someone to babysit him. The first time Kurt called Finn after a fight with Puck, Finn came to pick him up and brought him to his house. Kurt was only thirteen at the time, but Finn made it very clear to him that he was always welcome to stay with him and Rachel. No matter what.

Sometimes, as a young boy, Kurt used to dream about Finn being his dad instead of Puck. Not that he wanted his mom and Finn to be together – Rachel and Finn were obviously soulmates and he’d never wish for them to be apart. No, he just liked the idea of having a dad who was around. Who wanted to spend time with him. Who cared for him and spent time with him without expecting anything in return.

He gets into the bed, his phone in hand. He unlocks it, finding a couple of messages from his mom asking him where he went. There’s another message from his boss, asking if he could come in half an hour earlier. Kurt rolls his eyes but texts back that he can, trying to mentally calculate how early he’ll have to get up to make that work.

Just as he’s setting his alarms he gets a notification warning him that he’s at 20% battery. He groans and pulls himself out of bed, going to his backpack and digging through it.

Fuck.

“Great,” he says as he pulls out the last piece of clothing. Of course he forgot his charger. Just his luck.

He sighs and heads out the door. He knows Rachel has an iPhone, too. Knowing her, she’ll have at least two extra charger cables.

He reaches the door to their bedroom and raises a hand to knock, but pauses when he hears them talking inside.

“- you’ve respected her decision this long, but this isn’t good for him. If Puck is actually going to be sticking around for the long run-”

“We don’t know if he is, Rach. He’ll probably just hang out for a week or two, like he always does, and then admit he needs money. Quinn will give him money, because for some reason she always does, and then he’ll be out of their hair. That’s how it always goes.”

“What if it doesn’t go that way this time, Finn? I don’t—” Kurt hears her sigh. “He’s such a good kid. I know he acts tough, but we both know that’s not who he is. I don’t want Puck messing up his life any more than he already has.”

“I don’t either, you know I don’t, but I just don’t see how it would make a difference.”

“You don’t – Finn, if you could prove your paternity we could try and get joint custody. He could live with us two weeks out of the month. That’s two whole weeks he wouldn’t have to be around that… that _man_.”

Kurt’s eyes widen, heart skipping a beat.

“He’s not mine, Rachel,” Finn says. “We’ve known that for years.”

“We _don’t_ , though. We never got the test done because Quinn insisted and we wanted to be respectful, but this has gone on long enough. I can’t just sit idly by anymore! Even if Puck doesn’t stick around this time he’s going to keep coming back, over and over again. That’s what he _does_ , Finn. You know that as well as I do.”

“She doesn’t want me to, Rachel. She made it very clear that Kurt wasn’t mine. It would be a dick move to ask for a paternity test now.”

“I just want to be sure, Finn. I hate thinking of him in that house with Puck. I _hate_ it.”

“Me too, Rach, but there’s nothing we can do. Quinn made it very clear –”

“Look, Finn, I think Quinn is an amazing mother. I’ve said that since day one. She’s done an incredible job raising Kurt by herself. But when it comes to Puck, she doesn’t know how to set boundaries. He’s always been her weak spot, and he’s always going to be her weak spot. It’s not good for Kurt to be in that environment, and I’m tired of ignoring the fact that there is a chance that you are that boy’s father.”

The words ring in Kurt’s ears, amplified by the silence that’s fallen over the house.

His breathing quickens.

Finn speaks after a few moments of silence. “I’ll think about it, okay?”

“Okay,” Rachel replies. “Thank you. That’s all I ask.”

Kurt forces himself to move, heading right back to the guest room, heart jackhammering in his chest. He’s clutching his phone tightly, and his breaths are coming quickly.

He always knew his mom and Finn dated in high school, before she got pregnant with him. She’d told him when he was five and he asked her how she’d met his favourite babysitter. He’d never really known the timeline of their relationship, though.

He climbs back into bed, placing his phone on a pillow next to his head. He feels wide awake as he stares up at the ceiling, this new discovery coursing through his veins like a particularly powerful drug.

The very idea that Puck might not be his dad brings him a joy he cannot even imagine. There will be nothing left connecting him to that asshole. His mom can keep him around if she wants, but Kurt won’t owe him anything.

Holy shit.

He smiles to himself at the thought of finally being able to officially tell Puck to get fucked. He can just imagine slamming down the paternity test in front of the man and telling him to have a good life.

He pulls the blankets closer.

Well, fuck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [rebloggable on tumblr ](http://klaineanummel.tumblr.com/post/178124093520/eighteen-going-on-extinct-220)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m legit terrible at remembering things, so just fyi the title of this fic comes from “reinventing the wheel to run myself over” by fall out boy. this whole story is heavily inspired by their album take this to your grave, which i listened to a lot while i was writing this.
> 
> Specific warning for this chapter is minor physical violence from an adult on a teenager (very minor).
> 
> Hope you enjoy!!

Kurt spends the entire bus ride to work thinking about how he should go about this whole Finn potentially being his father thing.

He doesn’t want to get his hopes up too high. After all, if his mom has insisted that Puck is his father for so long, to the point where she’s literally told Finn there’s no way that he’s Kurt’s father, well… there must be a reason for that.

Still, he has to find out for sure. He has to _know_. If there is even the slightest chance that that dickwad isn’t his father, he’s going to take it.

He spends his shift in a haze, mindlessly making people’s burgers. He messes up a couple of orders, to the point where the cashier starts telling him when a burger has a specification. He knows the on-duty manager is getting frustrated with him, but he still can’t seem to get his head out of the clouds. He keeps going back and forth in his mind, trying to decide the best approach to his problem: asking his mom directly, or trying to figure it out behind her back.

“Kurt,” the cashier says, pulling him out of his thoughts. She drops an open burger onto his station. “This was supposed to have no mayonnaise.”

“Oh,” Kurt replies. “Sorry.”

She rolls her eyes and walks back over to the register, grumbling under her breath. Kurt rolls his eyes and gets to work on making a fresh burger, making sure to avoid adding mayonnaise this time.

He wraps it up tightly and then heads over to the counter. “Here you go,” he says to the customer, tossing the burger on the tray. “Sorry about-”

He pauses when his eyes meet Bowtie Blaine’s. Instantly, he grins. “Hey!”

Bowtie Blaine takes the tray, giving Kurt a confused look. “You work here?”

“Do I not seem the type?” Kurt asks, flicking his hat with his fingers.

“Not really,” Bowtie Blaine says, gaze flickering over his face. “Didn’t think a guy like you would even bother having a job.”

“A guy like me, huh?” Kurt says, leaning on the counter. “A devastatingly handsome one, you mean?”

Bowtie Blaine shakes his head, though the corner of his mouth ticks up. “No,” is all he says. He holds up the burger and says, “There’s definitely no mayonnaise on it this time, right?”

“Made it with my own two hands,” Kurt assures. “What’s the deal, you got something against mayonnaise?”

“It’s not for me,” is the reply, and then Bowtie Blaine is walking away. Kurt watches him go, eyes flicking down to his ass. He’s wearing these amazing skin-tight pants that cling in all the right places. Kurt licks his lips.

“Kurt,” the cashier snaps. “I have a salad on order.”

Kurt glares at her but stands up straight. He gives Blaine one last lingering glance, seeing him sit at a corner table with an older man in a baseball cap and coveralls. His dad, maybe.

Just before he heads back to his station, Bowtie Blaine turns around and catches his eye. Kurt smirks as Blaine quickly turns back to the man.

As the rest of his shift goes by, Kurt finds his thoughts shifting constantly between Bowtie Blaine and the situation with Finn. Part of him wants to just focus on the gorgeous new guy, the first guy to grab his attention since Sebastian fucked off. But another part of him can’t seem to stop thinking about how Finn might be his dad. After all those years of wishing that were the case, now there is an actual possibility.

He _has_ to find out for sure. He just has to.

**

He gets a bit of a talking to when his shift is over about paying better attention. He nods along but doesn’t apologize, hurrying to the back to change out of his disgusting uniform, more than ready to get out of there.

He checks his phone when he’s done changing, groaning when he sees that it’s dead.

He wasn’t planning on heading straight home, but he does want to show his mom that he’s still alive. Plus, he really needs to charge his phone.

The bus ride home isn’t too long, but it’s a pain without his music. There’s a screaming baby at the front, and by the time Kurt’s stop rolls around he’s pretty sure he has a migraine. He’d hoped to decide on whether he should confront his mom directly about the Finn situation, but he can barely think.

As he gets off the bus, he briefly considers grabbing a bag of Cheetos on his way home, but decides he doesn’t want to deal with the dick at the corner store today. Instead he keeps walking.

He’s just reached his building and is pulling out his keys when he hears, “You!” He turns toward the voice, eyes wide, and sees Puck stalking toward him from the visitor’s parking lot.

“What?” Kurt asks, voice flat. He couldn’t even have these last few minutes of separation from the man.

“Do you think this is funny?” Puck asks, pushing open the gate that separates the parking lot from the sidewalk. The gate bangs against the iron fence, clanging loudly. “Some kind of fucking joke?”

Kurt raises an eyebrow and inserts his key into the slot. “I literally have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t play stupid,” Puck says, storming toward him. “Your mom isn’t here right now, okay? You don’t have to pretend.”

“Pretend _what_?”

“Pretend that you didn’t fuck up my bike, you little shit,” by now Puck is in his face, pushing him up against the building’s front door. “Do you know how fucking expensive that bike is?”

Kurt feels behind him for his keys, turning them quickly when he finds them. “I didn’t do shit to your bike. You seriously think I’d be that stupid?” The door opens behind him and he quickly steps in, making Puck stumble.

It doesn’t take the man long to right himself. “I know you fucking hate me. You haven’t made it a secret.”

“No shit,” Kurt says. “Still doesn’t mean I messed with your bike.”

“And you told me yesterday – you said to put it away. So what, you saw it was still out and decided to teach me a lesson?”

He keeps advancing on Kurt, and Kurt has to admit, he’s getting a little scared. He turns on his heel and hurries toward the stairwell.

“I told you to put it away so that nobody would fuck with it. Did you seriously leave it out all night? In _this_ neighbourhood?” Despite the fear, Kurt can’t help but shake his head. “You’re lucky it wasn’t stolen.”

“I’m not putting up with this shit, Kurt,” he hears Puck say. Kurt pushes open the door to the stairwell, hurrying up the steps. Barely seconds later he hears the door banging harshly against the wall. “I’m your goddamn father, and if I’m going to be sticking around-”

“Don’t stick around then!” Kurt hurls over his shoulder. He briefly makes eye-contact with Puck and his heart speeds up. The man looks murderous. He quickens his steps. “You know full well I don’t want you to.”

“Oh, so what, you’ve been open about hating me, so it’s okay that you fucked with my bike?!”

“I didn’t do anything to your bike! For fuck’s sake,” Kurt reaches the door to the third floor and hurries to open it.

A hand grabs his backpack and pulls him backward. Kurt stumbles. He’d be on his ass if Puck weren’t holding the hook on his backpack so tight.

“You watch your tone with me,” Puck hisses in his ear. “You think you’re such a badass, don’t you? Mouthing off, not giving a shit. Fucking around. That shit won’t fly while I’m around.”

Kurt tries to push him away, but Puck is much stronger than him. He grabs onto one of Kurt’s wrists, grip tight.

“I don’t have to listen to anything you say,” Kurt spits, anger and fear fighting for dominance in his veins. “You aren’t my mother, and you’re most certainly not my father.”

“I am your goddamn father, you little-”

“You’re a fucking sperm donor, and maybe not even that.”

Puck’s eyes narrow and his nostrils flare. “What the fuck is that supposed to-”

The door to Kurt’s apartment whips open and his mom appears, wearing a robe over her pyjamas, her hair a mess. “What the _fuck_ do you two think you're doing?!” she shouts. “Get in here _right now_.”

Puck lets go of Kurt’s backpack, but pushes him forward as he does so. Kurt manages to straighten himself up quickly enough to bump Puck with his shoulder as he walks into the apartment.

His mom is pacing the living room and rubbing her temples. Kurt slumps on the couch, and Puck leans against the wall by the TV. He scowls at Kurt, who rolls his eyes.

With his mom here now, all of Kurt’s fear is gone. Puck isn't going to try any shit with her around. All that's left in Kurt is anger.

After a few minutes of silence, Quinn turns to Puck. “I thought you were going for a ride while I took a nap.”

Puck pushes himself off from the wall. “I _was_ , but I got down there only to see that this little shit,” he gestures violently to Kurt, “vandalized my baby.”

Kurt instantly rolls his eyes again. “I told you I didn't touch your precious bike!”

“You were here, babe,” Puck says. “You heard what he said yesterday about putting my bike away!”

Quinn keeps rubbing her temples. “Did you put it away?”

Kurt's heart leaps. His mom always takes his side between any disputes with him and her boyfriends; she's never done that with Puck though.

“I - No, you know I got all wrapped up in seeing you again.”

Quinn sighs heavily. “Do you have any proof that it was Kurt?” She instantly puts a hand up when Puck opens his mouth. “Other than what he said yesterday.”

“We don't know where he was last night! Or all day!”

“I went to a friends for the night, and I was at work all day! This is ridiculous,” he directs the last bit to his mom. “I'm not a vandal.”

She looks him over, then shakes her head. “Puck, I believe Kurt. He's never done anything like this before, and I don't have any reason to think he would.”

“Thank you!” Kurt says, smiling victoriously at Puck.

She points a finger at him. “That doesn't mean you're off scot free. You've been belligerent and rude to your father since he got here, and I won't stand for it.” Kurt’s mouth opens to protest, but she stops him. “I won't stand for it, Kurt! I know you think you're all tough with this attitude of yours, but you've always shown me respect, and I expect the same for Puck.”

“I'll show him respect when he earns it,” Kurt spits. “You know why he thought it was me? Because he hasn't been around enough to know I’d never do something like this. He doesn't know me, but he thinks he can yell at me and punish me like a dad would?”

“Enough!” Quinn says. “Kurt, you're going to take your dad’s bike to the mechanic, and you're going to pay half of the bill. I don't want to hear it!” she shouts before he can say anything. “My decision is final!”

“What the hell, babe?” Puck says. “You expect me to pay half the bill, too?! I shouldn't have to-”

“If you can find the kids who actually did this, then by all means, make them pay for it. I can think of fifteen off the top of my head who may have done it, but none of them are squealers, so good luck getting them to talk. In the meantime, just be glad you don't have to pay for the whole damn thing.”

Puck glances between them, then throws his hands up in the air, shouts in frustration, and stomps to Quinn’s room.

Kurt glares as he goes, not bothering to hide it when his mom turns to him, a glare of her own gracing her face.

“What the hell, Kurt?!”

Kurt stands up instantly. “I didn't _do_ anything, mom! He just showed up and started shouting at me! I don't need that shit after a long day at work.”

“I could hear you two, Kurt! Don't pretend like you weren't giving as good as you got.”

“He-”

“Is your _father_ , Kurt. I know he hasn't always been around, but he comes _back_. Every single time he comes back. Why can't that be enough for you?” there are tears welling in her eyes, and it makes Kurt’s heart ache.

He goes to her, hands already stretched out. He pulls her in close, his own eyes filling with tears as she instantly curls into him.

“ _You’re_ enough for me,” he whispers. “And I know that you deserve better than someone who comes back. You deserve someone who _stays_.”

She rests her head against his shoulder. He remembers when he was younger, when she had to kneel down to give him a decent hug. He can't even remember when he got taller than her.

When she doesn't speak, he quietly says, “He grabbed me, mom.” He glances at her door, waiting for Puck to burst out. “He grabbed my backpack and yanked me backward. I… I thought he might…”

“Don't,” she instantly says. “He's… I know he's unreliable, but he isn't violent. Not to his family.”

He sighs, leaning his cheek against her forehead. “If anyone else did that you'd have his head.”

“He's not anyone else. He's your dad.”

He pushes her away carefully. There are tear tracks on her cheeks, but her eyes are dry.

“Is he?” he asks.

“Is he what?”

Kurt bites down on his bottom lip. “Is he my dad?”

She furrows her brow. “What-” then her lips press together and her eyes harden. “You were at Finn’s last night.”

He stares down at her for a moment, surprised at the anger suddenly filling her eyes. “So what if I was?” he says, taking a step back. “That doesn't answer my question.”

She shakes her head. “Puck is your father,” she says. “I've told Finn that a hundred times.”

Kurt glances back at the door to her room. “I want a paternity test done.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Kurt.”

“I'm not kidding,” he says. “If… If he's really sticking around, I want a paternity test.”

Quinn’s glare only grows more intense. “I don’t know what bullshit Finn was telling you, but-”

“He didn’t say anything,” Kurt says quickly. “At least, not to me. I overheard him and Rachel arguing about it. She wanted the test done, not him.” He pleads with his eyes. “She’s worried, mom. About what being around Puck for an extended period of time will do to me.”

“That’s none of her fucking business.”

Kurt takes a step back from her. “He _grabbed_ me, mom. Hard. I could have hit my head against the wall, or fallen back and broken my ankle. And even that aside,” he can’t help but glance back at the door for a third time, “you know that he’s just here for money. He always says it’s different this time, that he’s here for good, that he’s on his feet, and then two days later it’s ‘so listen…’. He hasn’t changed, and he never will. Why can’t you accept that?”

She doesn’t reply, her arms crossed over her chest and her jaw dangerously set.

“If he’s staying, I want a paternity test done,” he repeats.

She shakes her head. “You fucking pay for it then. I’ve already told you that Puck is your father. If you want to pay $300 to have that reiterated… fine by me.”

They stare at each other for a few moments. She isn’t backing down, but neither is Kurt.

People always tell him he’s as stubborn as his mom.

“Fine,” he finally says, marching over to the front entrance. He looks around the small table there, searching for the keys to Puck’s bike.

“Where the hell are you going?” his mom asks him, following him to the entrance.

“Taking his precious bike to the garage,” Kurt says bitingly. “My TIPIC hasn’t expired yet.” Sebastian had paid for him to get it when he’d mentioned he was interested. He said he thought Kurt would look hot on a motorcycle.

“We aren’t done talking about this, Kurt,” she says as he finds Puck’s keys and picks them up.

“I need some space,” he says. He grabs his backpack off the floor and slings it over his shoulder, then turns back to her. “You know, I really thought that for once you were going to see things my way. I guess when he’s around I’m always going to be second place, huh?”

He doesn’t give her time to reply, hurrying out the door and out of the building, Puck’s keys clutched tightly in his hands.

His eyes burn, but he refuses to let the tears drop.

He’s not going to cry over anything relating to that asshole. He refuses.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [rebloggable on tumblr](http://klaineanummel.tumblr.com/post/178330409200/eighteen-going-on-extinct-320)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As some of you will recall, there are three potential dads in Mamma Mia... ;) and that's all I will say about this one. Hope you enjoy!
> 
> PS since i only posted once last week, i will be posting three chapters this week :)

Despite his hatred for the guy, Kurt still winces when he sets sight on Puck’s bike. It looks like someone took a knife to the thing, carving huge gashes throughout the exterior, to the point where Kurt can literally see the inside of the bike. It looks like it’s probably still rideable, though, so Kurt turns the engine on. Nothing else he can do but hope for the best.

There’s no helmet around, so he keeps his fingers crossed as he backs out of the parking space, and then onto the street. If a cop catches him he’ll be in trouble, and really that’s just the last thing he needs.

He’s a bit wobbly, not having driven for several months. Even when he was with Sebastian he only drove a few times, and usually just around Sebastian’s estate, since the oldest Smythe brother had an extra motorcycle he didn’t mind letting Kurt use. Plus, part of the appeal for Sebastian was riding on the back with Kurt, and he couldn’t exactly do that with a TIPIC outside their private property, so. 

He’s cautious, but he doesn’t lag. He really doesn’t want to get caught by a cop without a helmet, and honestly, there’s always cops loitering in Lima Heights. 

His first stop is the library down the street. He’s pretty sure it should still be open, so he heads there, parking the bike in the completely empty parking lot. 

It’s a dinky building, with a single floor of shitty paperbacks and two computers hidden in the corner. The librarian greets him with, “We’re closing in ten minutes,” but Kurt ignores her, heading straight for the computers. 

It takes him a second to find his library card in his wallet, not having used it in years, but he manages to get it and sign into the computer. Once signed in, he plugs ‘motorcycle garage lima oh’ into google. He’s soon informed that there’s a place called Hummel Tires and Lube just a few blocks away, right by a stop on his usual bus route. He signs himself back out, and hurries back to the parking lot, giving the librarian a ‘see, I didn’t take up too much of your time’ look before leaving.

He grumbles as he gets back onto the bike, knowing he wouldn’t have had to make this totally useless detour if he’d just remembered his charger the day before. He starts the bike up, and heads off.

It doesn’t take him long to get to the garage, thankfully. He parks it just outside the garage, on its driveway, and heads inside.

Bowtie Blaine is sitting behind the front desk. Kurt grins. Oh, his day just got infinitely better.

“Well, hey,” Kurt says, sauntering over to the desk. “Fancy meeting you here.”

Blaine glances up and raises an eyebrow. “Where I work?”

Kurt smirks. “Hey, it’s only fair, don’t you think? You saw me at my work, now I get to see you at yours. Though,” he glances around the garage, which is surprisingly clean considering what goes on in it, “I have to admit, your place looks to be a thousand times better than mine.”

Bowtie Blaine presses his lips together, but Kurt can see that he’s doing so to hide a smile. “Are you implying that flipping burgers at Wendy’s _isn’t_ the best job in the world?”

“Hey, now,” Kurt says. “I make sandwiches at Wendy’s. I don’t flip any burgers.”

“Ah. Do you get paid more for that?”

It feels nice to flirt again, especially with someone as attractive as Bowtie Blaine. Nobody’s really caught his eye since Sebastian dumped him. This feels… good. Really good.

“You would think,” he says. He leans his hip against the desk. “What about you? Just desk duty, or do they ever let you play with the machines?”

Blaine shakes his head, still trying to hide his smile. Kurt wishes he wouldn’t. He bets Blaine has the best smile.

“I really don’t think anybody wants me to do that. This machine gives me enough trouble as it is,” he says, gesturing to the computer.

“What about your phone?” Kurt asks, lip curving up even higher on his face. He knows he’s being forward but, hey, it’s always worked for him in the past. It’s how he got Sebastian in the first place. “Can you work that one okay?”

Bowtie Blaine gives him a careful look over. “I don’t have a phone,” he says, voice tight.

Kurt’s heart sinks. Fuck. “You… don’t have a phone?”

Blaine shakes his head. “That’s not a line, I swear. I really don’t have one.”

“Are you like, stuck in the nineties or something? How do you not have a phone?”

“Because I haven’t got him one yet,” a gruff voice says behind him, and Kurt jumps. He turns and sees the man Blaine was with at Wendy’s earlier standing behind him. He’s wearing blue coveralls and a backward baseball cap and wiping his hands on a rag. The man gives Kurt a once over, then looks to Blaine. “This guy bothering you?”

Blaine shakes his head, “Not really,” he says. “He hasn’t really told me why he’s here, though.”

“Oh,” Kurt says. “Right. It’s… I have a bike. Not my bike, my…” his tongue becomes thick and he can’t say it, he _can’t_ , “this guy’s,” he says instead. “It got vandalized last night. Google told me you guys fix bikes.”

“Yeah, I do that,” the man says. “Burt Hummel.” He holds out his hand, and Kurt takes it carefully. He can feel the grease and grime being transferred onto his own, but he doesn’t mind much. He hasn’t managed to take a shower since he got back from work anyway. “Why don’t you show me this bike?”

Kurt sort of gets the feeling that the man has more interest in getting him away from Blaine than in actually seeing his bike, but he goes with it. He does look over his shoulder and wink at Blaine as he goes, though. He keeps looking just long enough to see Blaine rolling his eyes after he does so.

He leads Burt to the bike, hearing the man whistle lowly as he approaches. “Damn,” he says. “This your bike?”

“Not mine,” Kurt repeats. “It’s, um. This guy. My mom’s friend.”

Burt kneels down when he gets close and puts a hand on the seat. “Why’d you bring it in then?”

Kurt crosses his arms over his chest and rolls his eyes. “Asshole thinks I did it. I didn’t, but my mom’s still making me pay for half of it.”

Burt glances up at him. “Doesn’t seem fair.”

“It’s not,” Kurt replies. “Can you fix it?”

Burt clucks his tongue, looking over the bike again. “Yeah. You’re actually lucky the damage is as bad as it is, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to do anything, since it’s mostly cosmetic. As it is, I’m going to have to replace a few of the outer pieces. Probably take about two weeks to get the parts in and do the work.”

Shit. Two weeks with his bike in the shop meant two weeks that Puck would be stuck in Lima.

“Is there any way it can be done faster? Like, expedite the process or something?”

Burt shakes his head. “Sorry. I can’t really control how fast the parts get here. Might even be longer than that, to be honest with you.”

“Fuck,” Kurt grumbles under his breath. He runs a hand over his face. “This is so…”

“Sorry, bud,” Burt says. “You wanna call this guy and see if he’s cool with it?”

Calling Puck is the absolute last thing Kurt wants to do. He doesn’t think he even has his number anymore.

He shakes his head. “No. Just… yeah, it’s fine. It’ll be fine. Two weeks is fine.”

“Yeah?” Burt raises an eyebrow. “Alright, then let’s bring her in.”

Kurt kicks the gear to neutral and starts to push the bike to the entrance of the garage, not feeling like turning it on for this.

Burt helps him, grabbing one handle bar. It goes easily, the driveway on a bit of a slope, but Kurt’s still thankful for the help.

“So, hey,” he says, trying to be as casual as possible. “Blaine. Is he your son?”

Burt chuckles. “Yeah, you could say that,” he says. “Why? You like him?”

“Yeah,” Kurt says. He’s always hated people who beat around the bush when it comes to things like this. “Does he really not have a phone?”

“Not yet,” Burt says. “I’m working on it. Been busy lately, you know how it is.”

Kurt has no idea how it is, but he nods anyway. “Think he’d give me his number when he gets one?”

Any good mood Burt had been put in by the mention of Blaine as his son is gone by now. “Hell if I know,” he grunts. “You’d have to ask him yourself.”

Somehow, the way he says it sounds like a resounding _hell fucking no_.

Kurt doesn’t say anything else the rest of the way into the garage, wishing he hadn’t said anything at all as they keep pushing the motorcycle in.

They finally reach an empty patch of concrete and Burt flips down the side stand. “Come on,” he says, nodding toward the front desk. “I’ll get you the paperwork. I usually ask for half upfront if I have to order parts in, so since you’re paying for half would you like to pay for it all now? Or just half of your half?”

Kurt tries to remember how much his last paycheck was. “Um. How much will it be?”

“Five hundred, I’d say. Give or take.”

Kurt winces. “Yeah, I think I’ve got that on hand.” His paycheck was definitely more than five hundred. He worked a lot the last week before school started. Still, he hates that he has to use it on this. He’s not going to be able to help out with the electricity bill this month.

They walk to the front desk, where Blaine is tapping away on the keyboard. Kurt glances down at his neck and sees that he’s wearing a bowtie Kurt hasn’t seen before. It’s new, silky and gorgeous. Burgundy. It looks amazing on him.

“Hey, Blaine, can you get the paperwork for motorcycles printed out for this young man? I’ll get you an estimate for your portion, and Blaine can put the payment through for you.”

Burt gives Blaine a significant look and then turns back to where he and Kurt came from. Blaine rolls his eyes and continues tapping away on the computer. Within seconds the printer next to the computer is whirring to life.

“I like your bowtie,” Kurt says, sticking his hands in his pockets.

Blaine glances up, his left hand coming up to finger at the fabric. He smiles softly. “Thanks. It’s new.”

Kurt was right. Blaine’s smile is absolutely out of this world. Even just the small one he’s gracing him with now.

“It looks good,” Kurt says, though he isn’t referring to the bowtie.

Blaine tweaks one side of the little bow, then pulls the papers out of the printer and staples them together. “Here,” he says, holding them out, along with a pen. “Just fill this out. It’s mostly contact information, but a bit about the bike.”

Kurt groans. “I don’t know much about the bike. It’s not mine.”

Blaine shrugs. “I’m sure it’ll be fine. Just leave what you don’t know blank. I’m sure Burt will know that information.”

Kurt nods. He takes the papers and the pen from Blaine, then leans over the desk and starts filling his information in right there.

After a few moments, Blaine clears his throat. “We have a table over there for stuff like this,” he says.

Kurt glances up and smirks. “Yeah, but you’re here.”

Blaine gives him a funny look, kind of like half a glare, then he says, “Are you flirting with me?”

“What gave me away?” Kurt says, wiggling his eyebrows.

“Um.” Blaine looks away. “You probably… shouldn’t. Flirt with me.”

“Why?” Kurt asks. “Is it because you gave me the cold shoulder on the bus yesterday? Because I’ve already forgiven you for that,” he winks at him, and chuckles to let Blaine know he’s teasing.

“No, it’s just because I won’t go out with you, so you know. Don’t want you to waste your time.”

Oh.

And Kurt thought _he_ was being forward.

“Shit,” he says. “That’s… wow. Well, that’s too bad. You’re pretty cute.”

He then picks up the paper and the pen and heads over to the table Blaine pointed out earlier.

He fills out the paperwork without paying much attention. It’s really too bad. Blaine seems like the kind of guy Kurt would get along with, and Kurt’s started to like seeing him around. He would have loved to get to know him better.

Oh well. It’s probably for the best, what with all the shit going on with Puck and Finn. Entering a relationship at this exact moment probably isn’t the best idea.

Maybe when he’s got all this paternity shit sorted out Blaine will be more willing to go out with him. Or just hang out with him. He’d never say no to a friend as hot as Blaine.

Wishful thinking.

He signs the bottom of the form and heads back to the front desk. Blaine is staring at the computer, frowning. When he notices Kurt approaching he turns to look at him, his frown only deepening.

“Here you go,” Kurt says, handing the papers to Blaine. “Did Burt bring the estimate yet?”

Blaine gives him a cautious look as he takes the paper and pen. “Not yet,” he says. His eyes narrow. “What’s your angle?”

“What? My angle?” Kurt glances behind him, wondering if he’s being set up for some kind of joke. “I just want to get out of here. I didn’t shower after work and I can feel the grease seeping into my skin.”

“Your angle with _me_ ,” Blaine clarifies. “I say don’t bother flirting, you say ‘oh well’, and then… that’s it? You’re done? I can’t figure out what your angle is.”

Kurt stares at him for a few moments, trying to work out what the boy’s saying. He slowly raises an eyebrow, and then says, “My angle is that you said no, and so I’m not going to keep bothering you.”

Blaine stares right back. His mouth opens and closes a few times, as though he’s about to speak but thinks better of it. His brow scrunches up. He looks back to the computer, and finally says a simple, “Oh.”

Kurt frowns. “Do the boys where you come from not know the meaning of the word ‘no’ or something?” He leans closer. “Do I have to beat someone up?”

“You don’t even know me,” Blaine says quietly. “You don’t know where I’m from, or what boys you’d have to beat up, or if I’m even worth getting in a fight over.”

“True,” Kurt says, shrugging. “Still. If you’re this confused at the fact that someone knows what the word ‘no’ means, I think someone needs to get their ass kicked.”

Blaine gives him a glance out of the corner of his eye. “You’re really not going to keep pursuing me? I said no, so you’re just going to drop it.”

Kurt shrugs again. “Well, yeah. Unless you want to be friends, in which case I’m totally down. I can get you 50% off at Wendy’s,” he says with a wink.

Blaine looks him over, clearly considering. “Maybe,” he says. “Half off Wendy’s would be decent.”

Kurt grins.

“Okay, kid,” comes Burt’s voice, and Kurt takes a step back from Blaine’s desk. He doesn’t want Burt to get the wrong idea. “I got a total for your parts for you, and then you’ll be okay to head out.”

“Cool,” Kurt says. Burt hands him a piece of paper with “$478” written on it. Kurt lets out a sigh of relief. Slightly less than he was expecting. Still more than he wants to spend on fucking _Puck_ , but not as bad as it could have been.

He hands the paper to Blaine, pulls out his wallet and takes out his debit card. Blaine starts setting the debit machine up and Burt picks up the paperwork. Kurt says, “Oh, yeah, I left some of the details on the bike out, since I don’t know them. Blaine said you’d probably know?”

“Yeah, I’m sure I can figure it out,” Burt says, scanning the papers. He looks surprised when he sees something, then turns to Kurt and says, “Your last name’s Fabray?” Kurt nods. “Any relation to Quinn Fabray?”

Blaine flips the debit machine toward Kurt, but Kurt doesn’t move to pay. “Yeah, she’s my mom,” he says. “You know her?”

“Yeah. Well, I used to, when we were younger.” He gives Kurt a once over. “You’re her _son_?”

“I am.” Kurt leans down and swipes his card through the machine.

“But… you look like you’re eighteen, at least.”

“Turned seventeen in May,” Kurt says, putting his card back in his wallet when the machine indicates his swipe was accepted. Thank god. “She had me young.”

“Huh,” Burt says, looking Kurt over. “And you live around here?”

“Been in Lima Heights my whole life,” Kurt says. “Man, you must have been _really_ young when you knew my mom if you didn’t even know she had a kid.”

“Yeah, I was,” Burt replies, though it sounds kind of distant. His face is scrunched up, like he’s thinking really hard about something. He doesn’t say anything else though, so Kurt turns back to Blaine.

“I’ll see you around?” he asks.

Blaine shrugs. “We do take the same bus to school, so. Yeah, probably.”

He sounds detached, but it still makes Kurt smile.

“You’ll call me when the bike is ready?” he asks Burt, who is still looking deep in thought.

“What?” Burt asks; then, as though catching up, “Yeah. Yeah, I’ll call you.”

Kurt nods, wondering what about their interaction put the man in such a trance. He glances over to Blaine, who looks just as confused. Blaine meets his eye, shrugs, and nods toward the exit.

Kurt gets the not-so-subtle hint and heads out, waving over his shoulder. He grins when Blaine waves back, albeit absentmindedly.

He thinks about Blaine as he buses home. It’s a nice change from thinking about Puck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr link to be added


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm hoping to post another chapter on Sunday, so I'll see y'all then!! 
> 
> Small warning for Puck being... well, how he is in this fic.

A pizza delivery guy from Domino’s is just leaving Kurt’s apartment when Kurt arrives, and Kurt can smell the delicious aroma from the hall. The door is still open, so he hurries in. His mom is standing in the entranceway, two pizzas stacked in her arms, and he gives her a quick smile.

“Hey,” he greets, taking the top pizza and turning into the kitchen.

“Hey,” she replies, following him in. “How was the garage?”

Before Kurt can reply, Puck’s voice calls out, “You gonna share that pizza or what, Fabray?”

He appears in the kitchen, leaning on the doorway that leads to the living room. “Oh,” he says, the flirty smile on his face dropping when he sees Kurt. “You’re back.”

Kurt rolls his eyes and drops the pizza on the table.

“Hey, don’t give me that,” Puck says, pointing an accusing finger. “I’m the one who’s been wronged here.”

“Yeah, and the twelve-year-old who did it told me he’s ever so sorry,” Kurt replies, fluttering his eyelashes. He then rolls his eyes again and says, “Your bike’s going to be in the shop for two weeks.”

“Two weeks?” Puck asks. “Where the fuck did you take her that it’s going to take two weeks?”

“Hummel Tires and Lube,” he says, glancing over at his mom and noticing the way she pauses at the name. “It’s close by. Before you flip out, I already asked him if he could do it faster, and he said no, so save your breath.”

“Kurt,” Quinn chides. Kurt ignores her, watching as Puck turns toward Quinn.

“Hummel, you said?” he asks though his eyes aren’t on Kurt. “You meet the owner?”

“Yeah, some guy named Burt,” Kurt says. He turns to his mom and continues, “Actually, mom, he mentioned that he knew you when he saw my last name. You remember him?”

She winces, and Puck slams a hand against the doorway. “Burt Hummel?!” His voice is clipped and dangerous. “No, no way. I don’t want that punk bitch touching my baby.”

Kurt narrows his eyes. “He’s the only guy who fixes bikes in the area. You want to go all the way to the south side and get charged triple the rate, be my guest. I already paid the guy, though, so good luck with that.”

“No,” Puck shakes his head. “No, no. I won’t allow it. First he fucks my girl, now he’s fucking with my bike? I don’t think so.”

“Puck!” Quinn shouts, just as Kurt turns to her and shouts, “What the fuck?!”

“You said he’s in the area?” Puck asks. Kurt doesn’t respond though, eyes on his mom, whose cheeks are flushed. Her eyes are narrowed into dangerous glares and aimed directly at Puck. “You see him often?”

“I never see him,” Quinn replies.

Puck scoffs. “Yeah, okay. That’s what you said back then, too, though, isn’t it? When you were fucking him behind my back?”

“I was fucking  _you_  behind  _Finn’s_  back, Puck. Don’t get on some moral high horse here.”

“He didn’t even know she had a kid,” Kurt says before Puck can retort. “And I’ve never met the guy in my life. Why don’t you back off a bit, huh?”

“Oh, real rich coming from the wise guy over here,” Puck says, taking a step in Kurt’s direction. Kurt crosses his arms over his chest and doesn’t move, even though his heart starts pounding wildly.

“Stop it,” Quinn says. “Just… just stop, oh my god,” Kurt turns to look at her, and sees she has a hand up to her forehead. “Can we just sit down and eat our pizza like civilized people? Please?”

Puck glares at her, but opens the box of pizza and grabs a couple of slices angrily.

Kurt watches him go, then corners his mom. “What the hell was he talking about, mom?”

“Nothing,” his mom says, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Just… high school. You know how I was back then.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.” Kurt leans in closer. “Did you really cheat on Puck with the garage guy?”

Quinn steps away from him, moving around him to grab some pizza. “Don’t call your father Puck.”

“Oh, my god,” Kurt rolls his eyes. “Did you sleep with the guy or not?”

“You know, most kids are disgusted by the thought of their parents having sex,” she says, taking a bite of a slice. “Why can’t you just be normal for once?”

“Mom,” Kurt puts a hand on her wrist. She finishes chewing and swallows, looking at him cautiously. “You’ve never hidden any relationship from me. I’ve met every guy you’ve ever dated, even the ones you dated before I was born.” She glances away, cheeks growing dark. “You’ve never mentioned Burt Hummel, though.”

Her eyes flick toward the living room, where Puck has plunked himself on the couch and is devouring his pizza. “Can we talk about this another time?”

“Why? You worried that Daddy Dearest is going to blow up again?”

“Just-” she snaps, then closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. “Later. Please?”

Kurt shakes his head. “Fine.” He glances down at the pizza, and even though his stomach is growling he doesn’t think he could eat anything right now. “I’m going to go take a shower. Make sure there’s some left for me, okay?”

She nods, then grabs a couple more slices and heads out to join Puck in the living room. Kurt bites the inside of his cheek, rolling over this new information in his head.

He heads to the bathroom after a few moments, not wanting to walk past Puck and his mom until absolutely necessary. He shuts the door with a little more force than necessary, then drops his backpack on the floor before shedding his clothes, allowing them to drop into a pile next to his backpack.

As soon as he turns the shower on he hears Puck and his mom start to talk. He keeps the water running while he presses his ear to the door, trying to hear even a snippet of their conversation, but the shower drowns out any specifics.

Shaking his head, he hops into the shower and drags the curtain closed, immediately grabbing the bottle of shampoo.

Did his mom really cheat on Puck with that Burt guy? Kurt has a bit of a hard time believing that. Not so much the cheating, that he has no problem believing. It’s the  _on Puck_  part he’s having trouble wrapping his mind around. Rachel and Finn have always told him about his mom’s soft spot for Puck. Rachel often claims that Puck is the only man that Quinn ever loved, and Kurt would have to say that he agrees. Puck is the one man who’s always been able to make her drop everything. Any man she’s dating is out of her life within hours of Puck returning to Lima. She practically bends over backwards for the guy every time he comes around.

Could she really cheat on a man she still feels so strongly about?

The man’s age is another aspect that bothers Kurt. Burt Hummel has to be at least a decade older than his mother. If he didn’t know that she has kid, then they must have screwed around before Kurt was born, which would have only made his mom about his age.

He cringes at the thought of sleeping with a man that much older than him.

He runs his hands through his hair as he rinses the shampoo out.

He knows this shouldn’t matter that much. Things in his life are already complicated enough without all this Burt Hummel nonsense. Still, he can’t help but feel that this is important. He and his mom have always had an open and honest relationship. She told him he was an accidental pregnancy when he was six years old, for goodness sake. The knowledge that his mom cheated on Puck, and that she kept it from him all these years? It unsettles him.

He scrubs himself clean, trying to make sense of everything that’s been happening lately. It feels like the past forty-eight hours have pulled the rug out from under his feet completely, and Kurt isn’t even sure where to start.

He wishes he could just lie in bed and think about Blaine. When he first started crushing on Sebastian it was basically all he did – lie in bed and wonder.

He rinses the suds off his body, then turns the water off. For a moment he thinks he can hear his mom and Puck, but they lower their voices within seconds. He rolls his eyes and grabs his shower towel from the hook behind the door. He runs it over his hair, drying it a little, then rubs it over the rest of his body before wrapping it around his waist. Then, he grabs his dirty uniform, slings his backpack over his shoulder, and reticently opens the door.

Puck and his mom have stopped talking all together, and both watch him as he walks past them through the living room. He gives Puck a cool glare, but doesn’t meet his mother’s eye. Soon enough he’s reached his room, and he shuts the door behind him instantly, slamming it a little harder than necessary.

He throws his dirty clothes into his laundry basket, then peels his backpack off his still-damp skin. Instantly, he finds his phone and hurries over to where his charger is plugged into the wall.

Once that’s done, he grabs his laptop off his desk and brings it with him to his bed. He sits cross-legged on top of his blanket and opens the computer up. Maybe he is a little surer of where to start than he believed.

He enters the words ‘paternity test ohio’ into google as soon as his computer boots up, clicking on the first link available.

He follows the easy layout of the website to a screen requesting what type of paternity test he wishes to do – a home paternity test, or a legal paternity test. The website informs him that the at home test cannot be used in court, and so Kurt clicks on the box for the legal one.

His heart skips about twenty beats when he sees the total for the test. $449.00. His eyes widen as he runs them over the number. He doesn’t have that kind of money lying around; especially not after his mom made him pay for half of Puck’s motorcycle.

He clicks on the box for the at home test, and his heart rate slows down a little when he sees the number has lowered to $189. He chews on his bottom lip. He doesn’t have the money to buy a legal paternity kit, but what if it turns out that Finn  _is_  his father? The results won’t help him if he and Rachel try and get custody. The website clearly states that the at home test is meant purely for peace of mind and won’t hold up in court.

After a moment of deliberation, he clicks to continue the process, leaving the at home box checked. The next page informs him that the kit he is purchasing only includes one father and one child, but he can purchase the kit for an additional father for only $69.99 more. Kurt taps his fingers over the keyboards once more, uncertainty crawling within him.

He could just do Puck. After all, this test won’t hold up in court, so what’s even the point of checking to see if Finn is his father? All that matters is that Puck isn’t.

He bites his bottom lip, letting out a deep breath through his nose. No, that isn’t all that matters. If he finds out that Puck isn’t his father, he knows he’ll want to know for sure that it’s Finn. He’ll just end up having to pay full price for another kit.

Before he clicks to add another father, he quickly heads to his bank’s website to check his account. He winces when he sees how much is in his checking account, then goes back to the DNA website page.

He doesn’t have enough. Not even close to enough.

He groans, head falling into his arms.

It’ll be two weeks until his next paycheck, and while it’ll be enough to pay for the test it won’t leave him with any money to help his mom pay the bills, or to put away in his car fund. Normally in a situation like this he’d ask his mom to spot him the money, but she already made it clear she doesn’t want to be involved in this.

Rachel does, though.

He sits up slowly. Would she really lend him money for this? She did tell Finn that she wanted the paternity test done, but would she actually go through with it? Especially knowing Kurt’s mom only marginally approves?

He has to try. After all, the worst she can say is no.

He grabs his phone and turns it on, thankful to see that it’s almost halfway charged already. He sends Finn a text message asking if it’s okay for him to sleep over again, which Finn answers almost instantly saying he can.

He pulls on some clean clothes as quickly as his still-damp body allows. He leaves his pyjamas in his backpack and adds a spare shirt and some clean underwear. Thankfully he doesn’t work the next day, but he still grabs his dirty uniform and stuffs it in a plastic bag, which he adds to his backpack. He’s sure his mom will appreciate him saving her a load of laundry, no matter how small. He makes sure to grab his charger this time, too, and makes a note to take his toothbrush on his way out. After double checking that his wallet, keys, and earphones are still in his backpack, he heads out.

Puck and his mom both look up when he exits his room. Before either can speak, he says, “I’m going out for the night. Save me a few slices of pizza, I want some for lunch tomorrow.”

“Where you going?” Puck asks, and Kurt rolls his eyes.

“None of your business.”

“It’s fine,” his mom whispers. “Make sure you have your phone on you this time, though, okay Kurt? I want to be able to contact you if need be.”

He waves it at her, then hurries to leave before Puck can try interrogating him again, quickly grabbing his toothbrush on his way out the door.

He pops his earphones in as he walks toward the bus stop, already dreading the long ride to Finn and Rachel’s. Any other day he might have asked Finn to come get him, but he didn’t want to deal with the possibility of Puck and Finn seeing each other.

The bus arrives about five minutes after Kurt gets to the stop, which he’s thankful for. He forgot to check the schedule in his hurry to get out of the house, which has often caused him to stand around for a good twenty to thirty minutes, depending on the time of day.

He sits down near the back, settling in for the long ride downtown, where he’ll have to switch buses. He turns the volume up on his phone and slumps into the seat.

He’s only just getting really into the music when his text alert interrupts the song. He pulls his phone out of his pocket, turning the sound off before frowning at the screen.

_From: Unknown Number_

_You’re a very persuasive man, Kurt Fabray._

He has no idea what to make of the text, but thankfully it is followed quickly by another that gives him a little more information.

_From: Unknown Number_

_Or at least I can only assume it was you that talked to Burt about hurrying up the cell-phone-getting process._

He can’t help but smile as he reads the text again.

_To: Unknown Number_

_Blaine?_

He can’t think of anybody else it could be, but wants to clarify just in case. He’s proven right within seconds.

_From: Unknown Number_

_Yeah_

_Sorry, probably should have led with that_

His smile grows a little. He quickly adds Blaine as a contact before replying to the message.

_To: Bowtie Blaine_

_And how, may I ask, did you get my number?_

_From: Bowtie Blaine_

_Got all your info in our system_

_Sorry, is it creepy that I did this?_

_It’s creepy_

_To: Bowtie Blaine_

_Not at all! I like a man who takes initiative_

_From: Bowtie Blaine_

_Don’t read too much into it. I just don’t have any other friends in town, and I got excited about being able to text at all_

_To: Bowtie Blaine_

_I resent your implication that I would read anything into this. Other than you’re a bit of a creep ;)_

_From: Bowtie Blaine_

_Wow, killed my excitement about texting within minutes. You’re outstanding._

_To: Bowtie Blaine_

_Ouch. Now that one hurt_

_From: Bowtie Blaine_

_Just speaking the truth_

He can’t keep the grin on his face as he and Blaine continue to text. He barely looks up as he switches buses at the downtown hub, and later almost misses his stop for his second connection.

Although every other text is Blaine asking himself why exactly he is continuing to text him, there is never more than a few seconds between their messages. In fact, it’s Kurt who has to put an end to their conversation as his final stop draws nearer, much to his chagrin.

_To: Bowtie Blaine_

_At my friends house now. Want to keep texting, but that may be seen as rude_

_From: Bowtie Blaine_

_Is this friend a boyfriend? Because if so I may need to tell him about how blatantly you were flirting with me earlier._

Kurt grins as he pulls down the chord requesting the next stop.

_To: Bowtie Blaine_

_I’m offended you think I would flirt with you while dating someone else. I promise, I do not flirt unless I have the full intention and capabilities to follow through_

He frowns after hitting send, then quickly types up another message.

_To: Bowtie Blaine_

_Not that I will follow through, because you said no, and I respect that_

He manages to look away from his phone as he steps off the bus, but as soon as both his feet are on the sidewalk its back in his sight.

_From: Bowtie Blaine_

_Oh really? Because you’ve been rather flirtatious throughout this entire conversation ;)_

Just when Kurt thought his grin couldn’t get any bigger.

_To: Bowtie Blaine_

_Mister Anderson! I resent the accusation!_

_From: Bowtie Blaine_

_But do you deny the accusation? That’s the real question._

_To: Bowtie Blaine_

_You know, if I didn’t know better I’d think you were implying that you don’t mind my flirtatious nature, mister wink-y face ;)_

He’s almost at Finn and Rachel’s, but he really doesn’t want this conversation to end. Especially not now that it’s getting so good.

His phone lights up with a new message, and he can’t help but chuckle when he reads it.

_From: Bowtie Blaine_

_Didn’t you have to be at your friends or something?_

His fingers fly across the screen as he hurries to reply before he reaches Finn and Rachel’s house.

_To: Bowtie Blaine_

_You’re about as good at denying accusations as I am._

He doesn’t receive a reply until he is at the gate to Finn and Rachel’s house, by which point he’s gotten a little worried that he took the flirtation too far. He wasn’t lying when he told Blaine he respected him, and he doesn’t want Blaine to think he was just tricking him with his offer of friendship to get him into bed.

Finally, a new message comes in as he pushes Finn and Rachel’s gate open.

_From: Bowtie Blaine_

_Have fun with your friends, Kurt Fabray ;)_

His grin comes back full force, and for a brief moment he actually forgets why he came to Finn and Rachel’s house in the first place.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ rebloggable on tumblr ](http://klaineanummel.tumblr.com/post/178553901090/eighteen-going-on-extinct-520)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No warnings for this one, other than there isn’t a lot of Klaine in it :P More next chapter though, I promise ;)

Although his original plan was just to lay all his cards on the table as soon as possible, Finn’s greeting question of, “What did he do this time?” sends him into a tailspin of ranting about Puck until dinner is almost over.

Rachel and Finn are an attentive audience, shaking their heads at just the right times, and asking just the right questions. Finn is outraged at the fact that Puck would assume Kurt would do something as immature as vandalize Puck’s bike, while Rachel is angrier at Quinn for making Kurt pay for half of the repairs.

He knows he shouldn’t go on another tangent, but the reminder of the repairs brings a question to Kurt’s mind. “Actually, I have a question about that.” Finn and Rachel both frown, but lean forward to indicate that they’re ready. “The guy who runs the garage I went to knew my mom, and when I mentioned him at home, Puck went totally berserk.”

“What’s the question?” Rachel asks, narrowing her eyes.

“Do you guys know Burt Hummel?”

Rachel’s eyes widen, and Finn instantly presses his lips together. That’s enough to tell Kurt that they do.

“What’s the deal with him?” Kurt asks, leaning forward as well. “Puck said he fucked Mom behind his back, but Mom’s told me about every single guy she’s ever dated. We don’t keep secrets from each other, especially not about our romantic lives, so why the secrecy? _And_ ,” he continues, pointing his fingers toward Finn, even though he isn’t necessarily directing this at him, “he’s got a business in Lima Heights. His garage is like, fifteen minutes from our house. He clearly lives in the area. How the hell did he not know that Mom had a kid?!”

He falls back against his chair, finally getting all the questions that have been rolling around his head out in the open.

Rachel and Finn share a look, and then Finn carefully asks, “He didn’t know you were Quinn’s son?”

Kurt shakes his head. “He just asked if I knew her. I think he thought we were cousins or something.” He glances between the two. “Seriously, what is the deal with this guy? What do you guys know?”

“Not much,” Rachel says quickly. “And what we do know we only know from Puck’s drunken ramblings like, eighteen years ago.”

“So she _was_ young when it happened,” Kurt says, sitting back up. “Is that the big secret? Why she doesn’t want anyone to know? Because he was older and like, married, or some shit?”

“He wasn’t married,” Rachel says. “At least, not that I know.”

“Well, he’s got a kid a year younger than me, so he must have met her pretty soon after he was done with mom.”

“Look, Kurt,” Finn says, putting his hands up by his head. “I think this is a conversation you should have with your mom. We don’t know the whole story, so this could really easily turn into a he-said-she-said.”

Kurt groans. “I should have known you’d say something like that. Why do you have to be so damn noble all the time?”

Finn chuckles, shrugging. “It’s a gift.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Kurt says, rolling his eyes.

They fall into silence, everyone finishing up the food on their plates. Kurt glances between Finn and Rachel several times, heart starting to pound faster. He needs to say something. This is the moment, he knows it is. He should tell them about the paternity test.

It feels like his tongue is as big as his entire mouth.

“Okay, what?” Rachel says, setting her fork down next to her empty plate. “What’s with the looks, Kurt?”

Kurt swallows thickly, eyes widening. He always forgets how blunt Rachel can be. There’s no bullshit when she’s around.

“Um.”

She raises an eyebrow. “Um?” She stares at him expectantly. “Kurt, if there’s something you need to say to us just say it.”

Kurt glances between them once more, and then, before he can lose his courage, blurts out, “I heard you guys yesterday.”

Finn seems confused, but Rachel’s eyes widen exponentially.

“You did?” Rachel asks at the same time that Finn asks, “Heard what?”

Kurt looks to Finn and says, “About you, um. Maybe being my dad.”

Silence falls over the table. Kurt looks down at his empty plate, wishing he had something to distract himself with.

“Oh,” Finn finally says.

“Kurt, you need to understand, we didn’t mean-”

“I want to get a paternity test done.”

Rachel stops talking, and this time it’s Finn’s eyes that widen. “You… you do?”

Kurt nods. “If there’s a chance that that fucker isn’t my dad…” he shakes his head, annoyed at the mere thought of Puck. “I want to know. I need to know for sure.”

“But your mom-”

“She said I could do it if I pay for it myself,” Kurt says quickly. “She doesn’t think it’ll prove anything, but I _need_ to know.” He keeps staring at his plate, a hand coming up to fiddle with his fork. “The only problem is that it’s like, $260, and I’m pretty much broke. From the motorcycle thing.”

He glances up to see Rachel frowning. “Where did you find it for so cheap? I couldn’t find a clinic that did it for less than $400.”

“It’s online,” Kurt explains. “They send you the kit and you do it at home, then send it back to the labs. It’s not really official, and it wouldn’t hold up in court, but it would tell me for sure which one of you is my dad.”

“So you want us to… front you the money?” Finn asks, clearly skeptical.

“Yeah, kind of,” Kurt winces. “I would pay you back, of course.”

“You wouldn’t have to do that,” Rachel says instantly. “We’ve wanted to do this for a long time, and if Quinn is okay with it-”

“Now just a second,” Finn says, raising his hands once more. “Quinn is okay with _Kurt_ doing this. Do you really think she’d be okay with it if she knew _we_ were the ones paying?”

“Who cares?” Rachel hisses. “Finn, come on. I know you want to respect her wishes, but don’t you want to know? Don’t you want to be sure?”

Kurt stares at Finn pleadingly, knowing that Rachel is doing the exact same thing. Finn stares up at the ceiling, then sighs.

“Alright, fine. Grab my laptop.”

Rachel claps her hands together and hurries to go get it. Kurt’s heart skips a beat. “We’re doing it right now?” he asks.

“Before I change my mind,” Finn says.

Kurt can’t help but grin. He stands up and hurries over to Finn, wrapping his arms around him in a tight hug. “Oh my god, thank you,” he says into the man’s neck. “Thank you so much.”

“Don’t thank me just yet,” Finn replies. “We could go through all the trouble, and it may still be that Puck is your dad. Your mom has been dead certain of it for eighteen years, Kurt.”

“Yeah, but there’s a chance he may not be. There’s a chance…” Kurt swallows thickly, and steps back. “You could be my family.”

Finn smiles that soft, sweet smile of his, and pulls Kurt back into another hug. “We’re already your family, Kurt,” he says. “No paternity test results will ever change that.”

Kurt feels his eyes welling with tears. Not wanting Finn and Rachel to see him cry, he just pushes his face further into Finn’s neck and hugs him as hard as he can.

**

At night, he climbs giddily into bed. He has an email confirmation from the website on his phone, letting him know that his payment has been received and his kit will be shipping shortly. He also has a wonderfully flirty text conversation with the guy he’s most definitely crushing on saved in his messages, and he quickly reads over their conversation as he lays in bed.

He doesn’t want to get his hopes up too high, about the paternity test or Blaine, but it’s hard not to when things are going so well. If anything, he’s got a new friend in Blaine, and he knows that Finn is willing to continue being a father figure, even if he isn’t his actual father.

For the first time in a while, he falls asleep with a smile on his face.                       

**

He spends his entire Sunday with Finn and Rachel. He sings _Wicked_ duets with Rachel for hours, then helps Finn grade some simple math quizzes his fourth graders did. He helps them both cook lunch, and then dinner, and helps them wash the dishes as well.

It feels right. It feels like they’re a family.

His mom texts him around eight at night, asking him to please come home. He considers straight up refusing but knows how hurt she’ll be if he does. It isn’t her he’s mad at, after all, and he knows it’s already hard on her to see him and Puck get along so miserably.

He promises her that he’ll be home before bed, and then asks Rachel if he can get a ride. Rachel is quick to assure him that he’s more than welcome to spend another night at their house, but Kurt insists.

“Mom specifically asked me to come home,” he says with a shrug. “I don’t really feel like causing her any more stress than she’s probably already feeling.”

“You’re such a good son,” Rachel says, pulling him in for a hug. “If Finn and I ever have kids, I hope they’re like you.”

“With less swearing and underage sex,” Finn calls out from the kitchen, where he’s making himself a cup of decaf coffee.

Kurt sputters, while Rachel just laughs.

It’s decided that Rachel will drive Kurt home, seeing as Puck is less likely to lose his shit on her should he see her. Kurt, of course, completely understands Finn’s hesitance at seeing Puck. Especially with all this paternity shit going down.

They drive in silence for a few minutes, Rachel tapping her fingers nervously against the wheel, until she finally glances at him and says, “I was hoping you would overhear our conversation.”

Kurt turns to her, surprised. “What?!”

“Oh, come on, Kurt,” she says, shaking her head. “You really think I couldn’t have waited to bring that up with Finn until I knew you were asleep, or after you left for work?”

“But why?” Kurt asks.

“Why do you think?” Rachel smiles. “I knew Finn wouldn’t go for it unless you said you wanted him to. He has a lot of respect for your mom, but he has even more love for you.”

“Shit,” Kurt says, slumping in his seat.

“Sorry to manipulate you,” she says, sending him a sly wink.

Kurt can’t help but smile. “I don’t feel manipulated,” he admits. “If anything I’m relieved. I was worried you and Finn would think I was taking advantage of you. You know, staying in your guest room, eating your food, and now asking for money.”

“It’s not taking advantage if we freely offer you those things, Kurt,” Rachel says. “We love having you around the house. To be totally honest, I wish you were around more often.”

“I’m sorry it was so long between my visits,” Kurt says. “Work was crazy, and I was dealing with getting dumped by Sebastian, and-”

“I’m not trying to make you feel bad, Kurt,” she says. “I’m just letting you know that you always have a place in our home. Always.”

“Shit,” Kurt says again, feeling his eyes well up. “You and Finn need to stop making me so fucking emotional. You’re messing with my teenager-who-doesn’t-give-a-shit attitude.”

“Well, good,” Rachel says. “Because to be quite honest, I never bought this attitude of yours. Remember, Kurt, I knew you when you wanted Finn and I to play Barbies with you.”

“Stop reminding me,” Kurt says, rubbing his hands over his eyes. “Fuck, that’s embarrassing.”

“It was sweet. You were always a cute kid.” She gives him a sly look out of the corner of her eye. “Still are.”

“Shut up,” Kurt groans. “I’m not cute, I’m rugged. Come on, Rachel.”

“Cutie,” is all she replies. Kurt groans again, but the sound is more to mask his affectionate laugh.

 It isn’t long after that Rachel pulls into the parking lot of his building. Kurt hates that he’s reticent to go inside. Ever since they moved here this apartment has been his safe-haven. The place he goes to after a shitty day at school, or a shitty shift at work. He got over Sebastian, and every other guy who's ever broken his heart in this apartment.

Yet now he’s hesitant to get inside, and all because of stupid Puck.

“Hey,” Rachel puts a hand on his wrist. “We’re serious about you being our family, okay? Even if it turns out that Puck _is_ your dad, that won’t change anything. You can always come stay with us whenever you want, not just when things are bad. Okay?”

Kurt nods, heart incredibly warm in his chest.

God, he hopes that Finn is his dad.

“Alright, time to face the music,” he says. He gives her hand a tight squeeze, then quietly says goodbye as he gets out of the car. Rachel rolls down the window to say goodbye back, waving her hand a little as he goes. She keeps her headlights on until he has unlocked the front door of his building, only then heading back onto the road.

Kurt watches her car disappear down the street, then sighs heavily and heads up to his apartment.

His mom is waiting for him on the couch when he arrives. She’s wearing a thin robe, wrapped tightly enough around herself to imply she isn’t wearing anything underneath.

“Ew, mom,” he says, tapping the door shut with his hip.

“What?” she snaps, though she tugs the robe tighter to her body.

“Just don’t need the reminder that my mother has a sex life, that’s all,” he says, rolling his eyes.

“You’ve never had a problem with that before.”

“Okay, let me rephrase: I don’t need a reminder that my mom has a sex life with _that_ asshole,” he points toward her closed bedroom door, where he’s sure Puck is conked out.

Quinn stands up, arms crossed over her chest. “That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about.”

Kurt raises an eyebrow. “Puck?”

She nods. “I changed my mind. I don’t want you to do the paternity test.”

“Excuse me?”

“Even if you pay for it, I don’t approve. I don’t want you to do it. Puck is your father, and that’s the end of it. I’ve told Finn a thousand times, I’ve told Rachel a thousand times, and if I have to tell you a thousand times, then so be it. I don’t want that paternity test done.”

Kurt hums, setting his backpack down next to the couch. “He’s not my dad.”

“Yes, he is,” Quinn says. “Are you not listening to me?”

“Oh, I am,” Kurt says. “I’m listening to someone who clearly has something to hide.” He walks around her, heading to his room. “If you were so sure that Puck was my dad, you wouldn’t care that I was doing the test.”

“It’s a waste of money, Kurt. Money I know you don’t have.”

“True.” Kurt shrugs.

“So, it’s settled, then?”

Kurt shakes his head. “Sorry, but no. Not only do I not believe you that there is no way Puck isn’t my dad, but I already bought the test. It’ll be arriving in the mail in about a week.”

“Are you fucking serious?”

He shrugs. “Sorry, mom.”

“I won’t allow it. I’ll throw it in the garbage as soon as it arrives.”

“Yeah, it’s going to Finn and Rachel’s house.”

“Why the fuck-”

“They paid for it,” Kurt says. “Because unlike you they aren’t afraid of the truth.” He stares at her from across the living room, one hand on his door knob. “Seriously, why is it so important to you that he be my father?” he gestures to her room with a nod of the head.

“He _is_ your father,” she says through gritted teeth.

“But he may not be, so why are you so insistent? Do you think…” he trails off, his mind suddenly realizing the reason. He takes a step closer. “Mom, do you think he’s going to leave you for good if he isn’t?”

He sees her eyes fill with tears, but with a sniff and a quick wipe of the hand they’re gone. “No,” she says, the lie evident in her voice. “I just don’t need you, or Finn, wasting your time and money on something I know won’t change anything. Puck is your father, and it’s time that you learn to get along.”

“Mom…”

“Just-” she puts a hand up to her head. “Just come home right after school tomorrow, okay? Or after work, whatever. I want you here, not with Finn and Rachel. _I’m_ your mother, Kurt.”

Kurt lets out a deep breath, his heart feeling like a rock in his chest. “That was never in question, mom.”

“Okay. Good.” She wipes at her eyes once more. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

“Yeah,” he whispers, watching her disappear into her room. He pushes his own door open. “See you tomorrow.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [rebloggable on tumblr ](http://klaineanummel.tumblr.com/post/178608244485/eighteen-going-on-extinct-620)


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have some ~platonic Klaine y'all :) 
> 
> Warnings for Puck being a dick, discussion of alcoholism, and some unrealistic expectations of the US postal services (because Plot)

Thankfully for Kurt, Puck is still asleep as he gets ready for school. His mom has left him a bagel, already pre-toasted and with margarine on it. Kurt eats it as he heads out the door, not wanting to spend any more time than he needs to alone in the apartment with Puck.

He has his morning schedule down pretty tight, which means he only has to wait a few minutes before the bus arrives at his stop. Kurt flashes his pass at the driver, then slumps into the closest pair of seats. He stays in the aisle seat, placing his backpack beside him.

There had only been about five people on the bus when Kurt got on, but by the time it pulls up to Blaine’s stop the bus is almost full. Kurt’s already received several dirty looks for the way he’s sitting, but he just ignores them. He keeps his eyes on the front of the bus, waiting for Blaine to come in.

When he does, Kurt instantly waves him over. He feels a little bit childish in doing so, but Blaine already has his earphones in, and Kurt doesn’t really feel like shouting across a crowded bus. Thankfully, Blaine sees him, and after showing the driver his bus pass makes his way to where Kurt is sitting.

As soon as he’s in front of him, Kurt shifts to the window seat, picking up his backpack and placing it in his lap. Blaine sits down beside him, taking one earphone out as he does so.

“You didn’t have to save me a spot,” Blaine says.

“Yeah, I know,” Kurt replies. “I did it for me,” he slings his arm over the back of their seats, earning a scowl from the people sitting behind them. “I’d much rather sit with my friend than with any other of these assholes.”

Blaine’s lips tick up, just the tiniest bit, just enough for Kurt to notice. It makes him grin.

“What makes you think we’re friends?” Blaine asks, his neutral expression returning.

Kurt shrugs. “I’ve just decided,” he winks at him, and this time Blaine doesn’t try and stop his smile.

“Okay,” he says. “I mean, I guess I didn’t completely hate texting you the other day,” he says, settling further into his seat. “So, sure. Let’s be friends.”

Kurt grins. “Deal, then.”

**

The cafeteria is bustling, as it always is, and several tables look full beyond capacity. Kurt’s is empty, though, just him as per usual. A couple of underclassmen try and sit at the other edge of the table, but Kurt glares at them until they leave. He really isn’t in the mood to listen to their whispers of, “Isn’t he the guy who got dumped by Sebastian Smythe?” “What _that_ guy? No way! Sebastian Smythe got into _Yale_ , why would he even go out with that guy?” today.

“You’ve got a killer glare,” Blaine’s voice says. Kurt looks up to see Blaine setting his lunch bag on the table and sliding into the seat across from Kurt.

Kurt smirks. “I learned from the best,” he says. Then, because he realizes Blaine doesn’t know who he’s talking about, clarifies, “My mom.”

“She sounds terrifying,” Blaine admits.

Kurt chuckles. “Yeah, says the guy with the burly mechanic for a father. I bet the reason you don’t date is because you know he’d strangle any guy you brought home with his bare hands.”

Blaine raises an eyebrow. His lips do that thing where he barely smiles. Kurt hates when he does that. It makes his heart beat about twenty times faster.

“I never said I don’t date,” Blaine says, the smile growing into a smirk. “I just said I wouldn’t date _you_.”

“Ouch,” Kurt puts a hand to his chest. “That hurts, Blaine.”

Blaine chuckles, opening his bag. He pulls a sandwich out, unwrapping it slowly, then taking a huge bite. He keeps his eyes down, chewing carefully.

He slowly raises his eyes after he’s done chewing, looking at Kurt almost pensively. Kurt narrows his eyes at him. “What?”

Blaine shrugs, taking another bite of his sandwich. “Just,” he starts after he’s swallowed, “trying to figure out why everyone seems to think you weren’t good enough for that Simon guy.” Kurt raises an eyebrow at him, to which Blaine replies by shrugging again. “What? I’ve been at this school for a week, and that seems to be all anybody can talk about.”

“I know,” Kurt grumbles. He rests his elbow on the table and his chin in his hand. “It’s annoying, isn’t it? You’d think there’d be a more interesting piece of gossip by now.”

“So, what’s the deal with it, then? I wasn’t here last year, I don’t even know who this guy was. Was he an Olympic gold medalist or something? Did he cure cancer?”

Kurt shakes his head. “He was rich,” he says. “And his name was Sebastian, not Simon,” Blaine shrugs, and it makes Kurt smile. “I don’t know, he was rich and popular. He was hot, he played a lot of sports, he was captain of basically every club in school.”

“Ah,” Blaine nods slowly. “So it’s elitism.”

“I think it’s more that everyone was mad Sebastian decided to slum it with me instead of them,” Kurt says, repeating what his mom had told him back when he first started dating Sebastian. “Also, everyone hates me.”

“Why?” Blaine asks.

Kurt gives him a level stare. “Why did you hate me when you first met me?”

Blaine stares right back. “Because I was purposefully ignoring you and you didn’t take the hint. I thought, you know, maybe you wouldn’t take the hint with other stuff, too.”

“Oh,” Kurt says, surprised at his honesty. “Well, clearly I changed your mind with my chivalrous ways.”

Blaine snorts. “You’re not exactly what I picture when I think of chivalry.”

“It’s the nose ring, right? It throws off my whole image.”

Blaine chuckles at that, then takes another bite of his sandwich. “So, everyone’s jealous because you got to bang the hottest guy in school?”

“Pretty much,” Kurt says. “And now they’re all up on their high horse because they all said he would eventually realize he was too good for me and leave me, and then he did. So now they feel entitled to whisper behind my back and give me weird looks in the hallway.”

“Does it bother you?”

Their eyes meet, and Kurt is struck by just how fucking huge Blaine’s are. Gold and gorgeous. He looks like some kind of cartoon prince.

“I mean, I already hated everyone in this school, so I don’t really care what they think.”

Blaine’s foot taps his under the table. His eyebrows raise, and it makes those damn eyes look even bigger.

“Fine,” he says, glancing around to make sure nobody is paying attention. “Yeah, it annoys me. These people think they’re better than me, and that pisses me off. Like, I know I’m not a model citizen or whatever, but I get good grades and I don’t start shit with anybody. I leave them alone, they leave me alone, that’s always been the unspoken policy. Now everyone thinks they can get up in my business because I had the nerve to date someone they deemed ‘superior’ to me.”

“Dicks,” is all Blaine says, and for some reason it makes Kurt laugh. “Whatever, you don’t need them. You have the best friend in the world right here,” he says, pointing to himself.

“Really?”

“Yeah,” Blaine says. “I’ve just decided,” and winks, just like Kurt did on the bus.

**

Blaine catches up to Kurt at his locker after the final bell, and they start their walk to the bus stop together. Of course, they don’t get much further than the front steps of the school before Kurt hears Rachel calling his name and sees her frantically waving at him from the parking lot. Finn is with her, and he has a large envelope in his hand.

Kurt’s eyes widen.

“Um, I don’t think I’m taking the bus home today,” he tells Blaine.

Blaine nods. “Cool. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Yeah, for sure,” Kurt says, giving Blaine a smile to let him know he isn’t trying to blow him off. “Or you can text me. You have my number.”

“Of course,” Blaine says. He waves a little, then continues toward the bus stop, while Kurt starts to walk toward Finn and Rachel.

When he reaches them, the first words out of his mouth are, “It’s here already?”

“I know, we were surprised, too,” Rachel says. She glances up at Finn, then back to Kurt. “We were thinking we could come with you. You know, to get Puck’s sample.”

Kurt’s heart stops. “Um,” he clears his throat. “Is that really a good idea?”

“Yeah,” Finn says. “Better than you having to deal with it alone. He may put up less of a fight if we’re there.”

“Or more of a fight,” Kurt says. “I don’t know, guys. He really doesn’t like you.”

“Well, the feeling is mutual,” Rachel says, nose going up in the air. Finn elbows her gently, and she quickly says, “That doesn’t matter, though. We’re doing this for you. For your safety.”

“And for Quinn’s,” Finn adds, and Rachel nods instantly.

“And for Quinn’s.”

Kurt glances between them, then, after a few seconds, nods. “Okay,” he says. “Just, you know, know that you’re entering the belly of the beast. I’ve always known this would be the hardest part of all this.”

“We know,” Finn says. “Which is why we don’t want you doing it alone.”

Rachel reaches forward and squeezes Kurt’s hand, and Kurt smiles.

“Thanks, guys,” he says. “Really.”

“Of course,” Rachel says. “Besides, we figured you wouldn’t complain about getting a ride home instead of having to bus.”

“You’re definitely right about that,” Kurt says, then follows them to their car, climbing into the backseat.

**

By the time they reach Kurt’s apartment, Kurt is really starting to worry that this was a bad idea. As much as he appreciates the support, he’s getting surer and surer that Finn and Rachel’s presence will trigger Puck’s anger.

They park in the tiny visitor’s lot and head in together, Finn and Rachel continuously looking around, appraising their surroundings.

“This place is definitely nicer than where you were when we’d babysit you,” Rachel comments as they walk into the building.

“Yeah, it’s okay,” Kurt shrugs. “We’ve been here since mom got the Store Manager position at the bakery. Perks of getting a living wage.”

Of course, that living wage doesn’t do much to help the insane amount of debt they racked up when she _wasn’t_ making a living wage, but at least they no longer have to decide between having dinner or having heat.

They walk up the stairs, Kurt’s heart speeding up in his ribcage.

They reach Kurt’s apartment, and he unlocks the door quickly, pushing it open. “Hey,” he calls out.

“Wow, you’re home already?” he hears his mom. “Did you get out early or-”

She stops as she appears in the hallway, eyes wide at the sight of who’s with him.

“I got a ride,” Kurt says, gesturing to Finn and Rachel.

“I see,” Quinn says. “You know, Kurt, now isn’t really the best time for guests.”

“Oh, we aren’t staying long,” Rachel says, smiling far too sweetly. “We’re just here to swab up some of Puck’s DNA, and then we’ll be out of your hair.”

Quinn’s jaw sets and her hands ball into fists. “Look,” she says. “I don’t know what Kurt told you, but-”

“Hey, babe,” Puck’s voice interrupts, “can you shut the door? It’s getting chilly in here.”

He walks out behind her, then freezes as his eyes set on Finn and Rachel.

“What the fuck are you two shitheads doing here?”

“Puck!” Quinn says, instantly turning to him with wide eyes. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Do you actually want an answer to that?” Kurt jabs. “Because I could list about twenty things off the top of my head.”

“Watch it,” Puck says, pointing a threatening finger at him. “You two, fuck off.”

“You don’t get to tell them to leave,” Kurt says. “You don’t live here.”

“Okay, fine. Quinn, tell them to fuck off.”

“Actually,” Rachel pipes up. “We’ll, um, ‘fuck off,’ as you so eloquently put it, in just a second. We just need one little thing, then we’ll be on our way.”

“Okay, then get it and get out.”

Finn opens the envelope, pulling out a small baggie with a cotton swab. “Can you dab this against your cheek?”

Puck glances between all of them. Quinn drops her face into her hands.

“What?”

“We just need a bit of your DNA,” Finn says, far calmer than Kurt feels. “That’s what we’re here for.”

“The fuck you need my DNA for?”

Nobody says anything for a second, then Kurt takes a deep breath and says, “It’s for a paternity test.”

Fury overtakes Puck’s eyes in a second. “Excuse me?!”

“I think you heard me,” Kurt replies, hand shaking a little.

“Fuck off,” he says. “I ain’t giving you shit.”

“Come on, Puck-”

“No, Berry, I said fuck off.” He turns to Kurt. “Look, I know you’ve got it out for me, or whatever, but this is too much. You have a serious attitude problem, and-”

“I said it was okay.”

Everyone freezes at the sound of Quinn’s voice. Kurt turns to her, and finds her glaring daggers at him. She mouths, “You owe me,” before turning back to Puck.

“It’s okay, babe. Just swab your cheek, it’s no big deal. They’re just wasting their money trying to prove something I’ve reiterated a million times. Just let them. Who cares.”

Puck stares down at her, and Kurt glances down to see his mom gripping Puck’s wrist tightly. He almost smiles but manages to stop himself.

There’s silence for a few moments, and Kurt could swear his heart is beating so loudly that everyone can hear it.

Finally, Puck says, “Fine,” and reaches over Quinn to grab the baggie out of Finn’s hand. He pulls the swab out and dabs it into his mouth. Then, he drops it back in the bag. “There. Satisfied?”

“Yep,” Finn says, taking the bag back and dropping it in the envelope. He then pulls another one out, this cotton swab blue, and hands it to Kurt.

Kurt swabs his cheek and gives it back.

“Great,” Finn says, dropping that back in the envelope as well. “Well, this was fun. Puck, always great to see you.” Puck flips him off. “Quinn…” he pauses, then shakes his head. “It’s been too long. Don’t be a stranger.”

She doesn’t reply, just steps a little closer to Puck.

Finn claps his hand onto Kurt’s shoulder. “We’ll see you soon, okay?”

Kurt nods, smiling in thanks. Rachel takes his hand briefly and squeezes it, and then they’re gone, disappearing down the hall and out the stairwell door.

He closes the door behind them, then turns back to his mom and Puck. “That was fun, huh?” he asks, trying to act less terrified than he currently feels.

“You little shit-”

“Hey,” Quinn puts a hand up, stopping Puck from advancing on Kurt. “It’s done, okay? They’re gone. Calm down.”

“You have some nerve,” Puck says, ignoring her, furious gaze still focused on Kurt. “Bringing _them_ in here, demanding a paternity test? You really think you’re the shit, don’t you?”

“Are you upset?” Kurt asks, bringing a mocking hand up to his chest. “But, I thought you’d be happy! If I’m not your son, that means you can stop sending us your yearly child support check.”

“Listen-”

“No, you both listen,” Quinn snaps. “I don’t want to hear another word about this until the results come in, got it?” She glares between them, then focuses the glare on Puck. “ _Got it_?”

He sends one last glare Kurt’s way, then shakes his head and pushes past her and Kurt, opening the door and disappearing through it, slamming it shut behind him hard enough to make Kurt and Quinn wince.

“He took that well.”

Quinn shakes her head. “I can’t believe you would ambush me like that,” she says. “You couldn’t have sent me a warning text? _Hey mom, Finn and Rachel are with me, we’re going to demand some of Puck’s DNA for that paternity test you told me you didn’t want_.”

Kurt frowns at the way she pitches her voice higher to imitate him. “Do I really sound like that?”

“Kurt,” she snaps. “I stood up for you just now, but don’t take that as a sign that I think any of this is okay. I am absolutely _furious_ at you.”

“Then why did you even bother standing up for me? You never do around him, anyway.”

His mom’s jaw tightens. “I didn’t do it for you,” she says. “I did it for Finn, and for Rachel. I didn’t like the look in Puck’s eye.”

“So you were worried he’d get violent.”

“Kurt, I’ve known Puck since I was eleven years old. _Yes_ , I was worried he’d get violent. Just because I know he won’t hurt you or me doesn’t mean I’m naïve enough to think he won’t hurt _anyone_ ,” she shakes her head. “You know how he gets about Finn especially.”

“Yeah, he really hates it that Finn was like a father to me when he fucked off, doesn’t he?”

His mom runs her hands through her hair, shaking her head. “Look,” she says. “Just… fuck, Kurt, I don’t know what to do anymore. I’m at my wit's end! I obviously can’t force you and your dad to get along, but for god’s sake-”

“He isn’t my dad! Stop saying that!”

“Yes, he is, Kurt!” She shouts, hands balled into fists. “Oh, my god, it’s like talking to a brick wall!”

Kurt shakes his head, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the front door. Quinn closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, then pushes her hair out from in front of her face.

They stand in silence for what feels like years. Kurt can feel his throat drying, the way it always does when he feels like he’s about to cry.

“I hate fighting with you,” he admits, sniffling back his tears. “I hate how much we fight when he’s around.”

His mom sniffles as well, and when Kurt looks up he sees that her eyes have gone red. He hurries to her, pulling her into his arms just before she lets out a sob.

“I don’t know what to do, Kurt,” she says into his shoulder, words warbled by her cries. “You’re… you’re the most important people in my life, Kurt, and I – I – I don’t know what to do.”

He holds her closer and lets her cry.

**

Kurt’s been holed up in his room for almost four hours, and is getting ready to go to sleep, when he hears the front door opening. He gets off his bed, dropping his laptop on his desk as he goes, and leans against his door, trying to hear through.

“Where’d you go?” he hears his mom ask.

“Just had to get away from here,” Puck slurs, and Kurt’s eyes widen.

“Are you drunk?” His mom practically shrieks, voicing Kurt’s internal thoughts. “Puck, what the hell, you know you can’t-”

“Oh, lighten up. I just had a couple of beers, it’s fine.”

Kurt brings a hand up to his doorknob, ready to pull it open and let Puck have it. He stops, though, when his mom beats him to the punch.

“It’s not _fine_ , Puck, you’re an alcoholic! You can’t just have a few beers, you’ll-”

“Oh, my god, Q, if I wanted to hear you squawk at me I would have married you.”

Kurt shakes his head, hands clenching at his side. God, what the fuck does his mom _see_ in this guy?

“You’re unbelievable,” Quinn says. “You know, I stick up for you with Kurt. I always stick my neck out, I beg him to be nice to you, and then you go and pull this shit…”

“Hey,” Puck says, voice raising slightly. “Hey,” he repeats, this time quieter. “Is he really not my son?”

“What? That is _not_ what we’re talking about right now, Puck.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, am I not allowed to be upset about the fact that the kid I thought was my son for _seventeen years_ might not be? Excuse the fuck out of me, Quinn.”

“Go to bed, Puck,” she says, her voice exhausted. “Just… we’ll talk about this tomorrow. Just go to bed.”

Kurt almost wants Puck to argue. He wants him to get angry. He wants Puck to mouth off. He wants him to give Kurt an excuse to punch his stupid face in.

Instead, he hears nothing except the quiet click of a door closing, and his mom sighing and dropping onto the couch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [rebloggable on tumblr](http://klaineanummel.tumblr.com/post/178763380775/eighteen-going-on-extinct-720)


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning in this chapter for a very lowkey discussion of non-con that hasn’t happened (super lowkey, super non-explicit). Also, discussion of alcoholism.
> 
> This chapter is mostly Klaine interacting, so hopefully you’ll enjoy :D 
> 
> Also, happy Canadian thanksgiving to all my fellow Canadians out there!!

Kurt slumps into a bus seat, shoving his backpack onto the seat beside him. He stares out the window, still thinking on what happened the night before.

He hasn’t been around a drunk Puck since he was nine years old. It was the closest his mom ever came to actually kicking Puck out of their lives. He doesn’t remember much of that night, as he’d been asleep for most of the altercation, and still half-asleep for the other half. All he really remembers is Puck screaming the most disgusting words he’d ever heard toward Quinn, all the while Quinn sobbed and continuously shouted at him to “Shut up.”

His mom explained to him the next day what an alcoholic was, and that Puck was going to try and get better. That last night was his breaking point, that it would never happen again.

It hadn’t, until now. Although, after the previous night, Kurt has to wonder if this is actually the first time Puck’s fallen off the bandwagon since all those years ago. God only knows what the man gets up to when he isn’t in Lima.

He doesn’t even realize Blaine has gotten on the bus and is sitting beside him until his backpack is dropped onto his lap.

“Hey,” Blaine greets. “What’s with the attitude?”

Kurt frowns. “The what?”

“You know,” Blaine lets his face fall into an exaggerated frown and his eyes glaze over, clearly attempting to imitate how Kurt must have looked moments ago. “The attitude.”

Kurt shakes his head, slumping even further in his seat. “Just shit with my…” he trails off, not wanting to say it. He stares down at his feet and says, “With the guy my mom is seeing.”

Blaine looks him over, then asks, “Your dad?”

Kurt swallows thickly. “He’s not my dad.”

“Is he the guy whose motorcycle Burt is fixing?”

“Yeah,” Kurt says, kicking the heel of one foot with the other. “He’s a piece of shit.”

“Sucks,” Blaine says. “I know about that.”

Kurt raises a surprised eyebrow. “Really? He does a good job of hiding it, then.”

“Who?” Blaine asks.

“Your dad,” Kurt says, and then, after a few moments of silence and a completely confused look from Blaine, “Burt?”

“Oh,” Blaine says, snorting. “No, not him. Burt’s actually one of the best one’s I’ve gotten.” At Kurt’s confused look, he clarifies, “Foster parents.”

“Wait, so he’s not your actual dad?” Kurt asks, a still confused. “But he was so mad when I said I wanted to ask you out!”

“Was he?” Blaine grins. “Well, like I said, he’s probably the best foster parent I’ve been placed with. One of the few who’s actually taken the time to get to know me.”

“Huh,” Kurt says. “I had no idea.”

Blaine just looks amused. “That he was a good guy, or that I was a foster kid?”

 _Both_ , Kurt thinks. “The latter,” Kurt says. Revealing his misgivings about Burt and his previous relationship with his mother (some of which are, apparently, false, as obviously Burt was never with Blaine’s mother around the same time he was with Kurt’s) will only lead to more questions from Blaine, and he doesn’t feel like getting into his paternal drama at the moment. “You don’t really seem like one. Sorry if that’s offensive.”

“I don’t know if there’s any particular way foster kids act. We’re all different; have different experiences with different families.” He shrugs. “It’s cool you thought Burt was actually my dad, though. Especially since we look nothing alike.”

“I just figured you looked like your mom,” Kurt says, blushing a little.

“I see,” Blaine says. “Well, I don’t think I could tell you with certainty if I do. I haven’t seen her for about five years.”

“Shit,” Kurt says. “That’s heavy.”

Blaine just shrugs again. “That’s life. Clearly you know a bit about parents letting you down.”

“What do you mean?”

Blaine just stares at him like he’s an idiot. “Your mom? Dating that, uh, what did you calling him? The ‘piece of shit’?”

Kurt smirks at the way Blaine’s cheeks redden a little at the swear word. “You don’t curse much, do you?”

Blaine shrugs. “Not my thing.”

“Fair,” Kurt says. He falls a little further into his seat. “Jeez, look at us. Talking about deep shit on the bus where anyone can hear.” He turns to face Blaine and grins. “Are we morons or what?”

Blaine laughs. “We might be,” he says, and Kurt laughs along with him.

**

At lunch, Blaine finds Kurt in the cafeteria and asks him if he wants to eat outside. “While it’s still nice enough out,” he clarifies when Kurt just stares at him instead of answering.

“But, like…” Kurt narrows his eyes. “Why?”

Blaine shrugs. “Because it’s going to be freezing out soon, and I like being outside, and you can get away from everyone staring at you like you’re a freak for a little bit?”

Kurt glances around the room, seeing several people look away quickly when his eyes land on them. “Christ,” he grumbles, picking up his lunch bag. “You’d think they’d have found something better to talk about by now.”

“This town is low on gossip, huh?”

“Clearly,” Kurt says, glaring at a couple of Sebastian’s old lacrosse teammates as he and Blaine walk past them.

It’s not too crowded outside, so Kurt and Blaine are able to find a quiet spot without too much difficulty. They sit down and instantly begin to eat their lunch, not speaking again until they’ve devoured their sandwiches.

“Is that another new bowtie?” Kurt asks. Blaine smiles and, just as he did in the garage, brings a hand up to touch it.

“Yeah,” he says. “Burt bought me a ton when he realized how much I liked them.”

“Caught on to the continuous overuse of the two old ones, huh?”

“As did you, clearly,” Blaine says.

Kurt just smirks. “They were a bold fashion choice, especially ones that worn.” He glances down to the bowtie currently around Blaine’s neck, a gorgeous navy with a tiny anchor pattern. “I like these better, though.”

“I do, too,” Blaine says with a smile. “It was nice to finally get rid of those old ones.”

“You threw them out?” Kurt asks, surprised.

Blaine nods. “Yeah, are you kidding? I had them since I was twelve. I would have thrown them out years ago and gotten new ones, but the checks for my upkeeping don’t really cover frivolities like that.” The way he says it, the bitterness in his tone, lets Kurt know that he’s just repeating something that’s been said to him many times before.

 “Looking good is a frivolity?”

Blaine stares down at the packet of Fruit Gushers in his hand. “Apparently.”

“Well that’s stupid,” he says.

“I agree,” Blaine replies easily, popping a Fruit Gusher in his mouth. “But, whatever. The government sends the check to them, not me, so there you go.”

Kurt stares at Blaine for a moment, then says, “I’m sorry if talking about this makes you uncomfortable. We can talk about other stuff, if you want.”

“It doesn’t make me uncomfortable,” Blaine says. “It’s my life. Just the hand the universe dealt me. Do you feel uncomfortable talking to people about your mom?”

Kurt shakes his head instantly. “But my mom is awesome,” he says. “It sounds like most of your foster parents have been…” he scrunches up his face, trying to find the right words. “Well, less than awesome,” he finally settles on.

“Even though she dates ‘pieces of shit’?” Blaine asks.

“Well, that’s always been her downfall,” Kurt rolls his eyes. “She has terrible taste in men.” He glances over toward the football field, where a few lacrosse players are tossing a football around. “Something she clearly passed on to me.”

“Ouch,” Blaine says, a small smile on his face letting Kurt know he’s teasing.

“Well, obviously you don’t count,” Kurt says.

“Why not?”

“You just… you don’t.”

Blaine nods. “I see.”

Kurt shoves his shoulder lightly. “Whatever, loser.”

Blaine laughs softly at him. “Hey, you’re the one who asked me out.”

“Yeah, and you turned me down. You’re missing out on a lot, you know,” Kurt waggles his eyebrows. “I’m awesome in bed.”

Blaine snorts. “I bet,” he says, still laughing.

“You doubt my prowess?” Kurt asks, faking affront.

“How could I? You bagged the amazing Samuel What’s-His-Name, the most important McKinley graduate in the history of the world.”

Kurt smiles at Blaine’s obvious purposeful insistence on getting Sebastian’s name wrong. “Exactly,” he says.

Blaine glances up at Kurt, his cheeks tinging pink. “You know,” he says, voice quieter than before, clearly cautious. “If you’d asked me out now, I would have had a lot harder time saying no.”

Kurt’s throat instantly dries, his heart skipping a beat in his chest. “Seriously?”

Blaine shrugs, smiling. “What can I say? Your chivalrous ways won me over,” he puts a hand to his chest and flutters his eyelashes exaggeratedly.

Kurt stares at him for a few moments, and Blaine drops the teasing act. He licks his lips, and Kurt feels his own parting softly.

“But you still would have said no, right?” he asks, needing to know.

Blaine licks his lips again. “Yeah,” he says, eyes flicking down to his crossed legs. “Sorry.”

“Cool,” Kurt says, even though it’s anything but. “Cool, cool.”

“It’s not you,” Blaine says. His hand twitches, like he’s going to reach out and touch Kurt on the arm but decides against it at the last minute. “I just don’t date. Anyone. So it’s not… it’s not you.” He’s looking back down at his lap when he finishes, and Kurt feels his heart speeding up.

“Why not?” he can’t help but ask.

Blaine picks at his paper bag, ripping the top a little. “Because I never know how long I’ll be somewhere,” he says, voice quiet. “I, uh. I started going out with this guy when I was fourteen. I liked him a lot, and I thought he liked me too, but the minute I got shipped off to another house he pulled the plug. Said it wasn’t worth it if I wasn’t going to be around.” He shrugs a little. “I promised myself then and there that I wouldn’t date anybody else until I was eighteen and out of the system. Save myself the heartache.”

Kurt stares down at his own lunch bag, taking a moment to process the information. He then glances up at Blaine cautiously and asks, “I’m guessing that’s why you have a lot of experience with guys who don’t like the word ‘no’?”

Blaine shrugs. “Some guys don’t take rejection too well.”

Kurt presses his lips together, then asks, “But they never…?” When Blaine looks up, eyes wide, Kurt quickly says, “Sorry, that was way over the line. I’m sorry. Super inappropriate.”

Blaine stares at him for a few more seconds, then sighs and says, “No, they never,” he puts an infliction on the word never, letting Kurt know exactly what he means. “Sometimes they’d say really nasty things about me, but… never more than that.”

Kurt feels his hand clenching at his side, and Blaine clearly notices. He places his own hand on top of it, and says, “Kurt, seriously. I promise all the sex I’ve had has been consensual.”

“Can’t have had much sex if you’re always telling people no,” Kurt says, hoping to alleviate some of the tension he himself has created.

Blaine takes the bait and chuckles. “Well, I did have that first boyfriend, you know.”

Kurt shakes his head at that and says, “He was an idiot.”

Blaine’s eyes are wide when they meet Kurt’s. “What?”

“That guy. Your first boyfriend. He’s a moron.”

Blaine’s lips slowly curve into a tiny smile. “Yeah, he uh. He wasn’t that nice.”

“No, no, he wasn’t that _smart_. I mean, come on, letting something as stupid as a little distance get in the way of dating _Blaine Anderson_? Dumbass.”

Blaine’s smile grows a little more. “Well, to be fair, he was fifteen and pretty focused on getting laid. Having an out-of-town boyfriend wasn’t that conducive to that.”

“Dumbass,” Kurt repeats.

“You’re the dumbass,” Blaine says, tapping their shoulders together.

Kurt shrugs. “I’m just speaking the truth.”

Blaine smiles at him, then, without speaking, he pulls a tiny bag of Cheetos out of his paper bag and holds it out to Kurt. “Share?”

“So generous,” Kurt says with a wink. Blaine grins, ripping the bag open and tilting it toward Kurt. Kurt grins back and pops one in his mouth.

They eat in silence for a few moments, until Blaine whispers, “Thanks.”

Kurt finishes chewing a Cheeto and asks, “For what? Making things super awkward by asking you a way too personal question?”

“No. For caring.”

Kurt wants to cry, wants to go back in time and hunt down every boy, every family, every _person_ who has ever made Blaine feel like he wasn’t worth it. He wants to scream at every foster family that didn’t give Blaine what he needed that they missed out on getting to know the best person in the world. He wants to yell at every boy who said anything nasty to Blaine that he would never be worthy of Blaine’s time, even if Blaine _did_ date. He wants to shout at Blaine’s parents until he’s blue in the face about whatever it is they did that caused Blaine to go into the system. He wants every single person who has ever hurt Blaine to know that they lost, because they don’t get to be in the presence of this incredible, amazing man that Kurt is pretty sure he is falling for.

He doesn’t say any of that, though. Instead, he just taps his shoulder against Blaine’s again and says, “Any time.”

**

“You going to get dragged away by the Mystery Brigade again today?” Blaine asks as they exit the school, heading toward the bus stop.

“Who, Finn and Rachel?” Kurt asks. He takes a moment to glance around the parking lot, then shakes his head. “Nah, I don’t think so.”

“Who were they?” Blaine asks. “Aunt and Uncle?”

Kurt shrugs. “Kind of? We’re not actually related or anything, but they’re like my second family. Finn and my mom used to go out, and somehow managed to stay friends despite an incredibly messy break-up, and so he was always around when I was a kid.” They stop when they reach the bus stop. “They’ve drifted now, but he and I are still close.”

“Must be nice,” Blaine says. “Having two families.”

“Actually, it’s a bit of a mess,” Kurt admits, kicking a stone away from the group of people waiting for the bus.

“Still,” Blaine glances at him briefly. “I mean, you’ve got three parental figures in your life. Mess or not, that’s pretty amazing.”

Kurt smiles, glancing up at the sky. “Yeah, you’re right,” he says. “It’s just – I don’t know. Things are complicated right now.”

The bus pulls up to the stop, and Kurt and Blaine begin to shuffle on along with everybody else. They don’t manage to get seats, but they do manage to stand together just a bit past the back door.

“What’s happening right now that’s making things complicated?” Blaine asks when the bus begins to move.

Kurt rolls his eyes just thinking about everything he’s going to have to deal with when he gets home. “God, just… I don’t even know where to start. There’s just a lot of bullshit happening right now.”

“Aw, come on,” Blaine says, bumping their shoulders together. “I told you my whole sob story.”

“You didn’t exactly consider it a sob story earlier,” Kurt replies, to which Blaine sticks his tongue out.

“Still, come on. I’m curious. You’ve barely told me anything about that whole mess of a relationship you had with Superstar Scott, and now you won’t tell me about your family issues. Is there anything you _will_ tell me about?”

Kurt raises an eyebrow before replying, “First of all, you never asked for anything more specific about my history with Sebastian, so sorry for not throwing up all that ugly mess on you out of the blue. Secondly, it’s not that I don’t want to talk about my family stuff with you, it’s just…” he jolts a little as the bus comes up to the next stop. “Well, we’re not exactly in an ideal sharing situation.” Someone pushes past him exactly at that moment to get off the bus, proving his point. “Also, things are just a little crazy right now. Like, I don’t even know where to start with it all.”

Blaine presses his lips together, then, going for casual, says, “You could come over to my house and… I don’t know, you could try?”

Kurt’s heart skips a beat at the thought of going to Blaine’s house. Not only would it be an amazing opportunity to spend even more time with Blaine, but he’d also get a chance to see the mysterious Burt Hummel in his natural habitat. Maybe find out some of the reasons why his mother is being so damn secretive about the whole thing.

Still, though, he needs to talk to his mom about what happened yesterday. Their fight, Puck coming home drunk, the paternity test… everything.

“Sorry,” Kurt says with a wince. “Please don’t get me wrong, I would absolutely _love_ to hang out with you at your house, but I really think I need to spend some time with my mom tonight.” He chews on the inside of his cheek, then asks. “Are you working at the garage this weekend?”

Blaine nods. “But just until four, both days.”

“Great. I work until five on Saturday. Maybe I could come over after?”

“Or I could meet you there?” Blaine wiggles his eyebrows. “You can get me that half-off Wendy’s you promised me.”

“Blaine,” Kurt deadpans. “You’re a wonderful friend, and I am happy you are in my life, but if you really think that I want to hash out all the messy details of my current family situation in my place of work after a six-hour shift, then I’m sorry, but you’re actually a moron.”

Blaine laughs at that, causing several people to glance their way.

“That was a mouthful,” he says, still chuckling a bit. “You need a second to catch your breath?”

Kurt just stares at him, unimpressed.

“Okay, fine,” Blaine says. “I do want cheap food, though, so what if we get the food to-go and then, I don’t know, go to the park? There’s one by Wendy’s, right?”

“It could be cold.”

“Then we’ll hop on the bus and go to my house.” Blaine widens his eyes impossibly, and Kurt feels his resolve melting. “Come on,” Blaine pouts. “You promised me when you were proposing a friendship.”

“I did, didn’t I?” Kurt rubs a hand over his eyes. “Okay, fine, _but_ ,” he says, when Blaine starts to grin a bit too hard, “we get out of there as fast as possible, and you can’t complain about the smell of grease.”

“Deal,” Blaine says, still grinning. “Ha! Just charmed my way into some cheap Wendy’s,” he says, as though to everybody on the bus.

“You’re a hero,” Kurt says with a chuckle. “Now, pay attention. Your stop is coming up.”

“Oh, crap,” Blaine says, hurrying to press the button for the next stop. “Look at you. My knight in shining armour.” He flutters his eyelashes. “So chivalrous.”

“You’re not going to let that go, are you?”

“Nope,” Blaine grins up at him. “Never.”

“Great,” Kurt says, rolling his eyes, even though he knows that it really, really is.

**

His mom is on the phone when he enters the house, so Kurt gives her a small wave and heads to his bedroom to drop off his things. He pulls his own phone out and dicks around on it for a bit, keeping his ears peeled for when his mom is done talking to whoever.

It’s a good ten minutes before he hears his mom say goodbye to whoever she’s talking to. He gets up off his bed and opens his door a crack, peeking out to see her with her phone clutched in her hand, staring up at the ceiling.

“Um. Mom?”

“Hey, honey,” she says, turning to him quickly. “Sorry I couldn’t really greet you properly when you came in.”

“It’s all good,” Kurt says, stepping out of his room and closing the door behind him. “Is, uh.” He glances to his mom’s closed door, then back to her. “Is Puck here?”

Quinn rolls her eyes and falls onto the couch. “He’s sleeping,” she says, feet going up on the small coffee table.

“Did he get up at all today?” Kurt asks, sitting down beside her.

“If he did, he did it while I was at work,” she says, shaking her head. She turns to him, eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Why the sudden interest?”

Kurt chews on the inside of his cheek for a second, then says, “I heard you guys talking last night, when he got in.”

“Shit,” his mom reaches a hand up and runs it through her hair.

“Mom, this is bad,” he says, shifting so he’s fully facing her. “He hasn’t done this in eight years.”

“It was just a relapse,” she says quickly. “They’re common, apparently.”

“Eight years sober?” Kurt asks quietly. She turns away from him. “Mom, you don’t really believe that, do you?”

She shakes her head again. Her arms cross in front of her stomach, and she looks down at her lap as she whispers, “No.”

Kurt looks up at the door again, stomach heavy. “It’s because of the paternity test,” he says. “It’s my fault.”

“No,” his mom says instantly, voice far firmer. “No, don’t say that.”

“ _He_ said it,” Kurt points to the closed door.

“Yeah, and that wasn’t fair,” she says. She shifts on the couch, crossing her legs so that she and Kurt are face-to-face. “Look, I know you may not believe me, but I don’t actually think your father is a perfect man. I’m fully aware of his flaws, okay? Trust me, I’ve seen every single one of them.” She reaches forward to take Kurt’s hands in hers, her phone dropping between them as she does. “He was shifting the blame onto you, and it wasn’t right. Yeah, you may have upset him, but you didn’t put the beer in his hand. You didn’t force it down his throat. Okay?”

Kurt’s throat dries, and he blinks back tears. “Okay,” he whispers.

“Okay,” she squeezes his hands tight.

“But still,” he says. “If he’s drinking again-”

“I’m going to deal with it.” She replies instantly. “I… you’re right, I don’t think it’s just a relapse. I think he did it on purpose, and that’s not okay at all. I’m going to deal with it, though, okay? I promise I’m going to deal with it.”

“He just hurt you so much last time,” he says quietly. “And he’s already been so on edge since he’s been back…”

“I know you’re worried about me, but you don’t need to be.”

“Mom.”

“You _don’t_ ,” she says, eyes widening. “I know you always want to protect me, but when it comes to Puck I know how to protect myself.”

“But that’s just it, mom, you don’t. He’s the one guy you don’t know how to protect yourself against.” He sees her eyebrows furrowing, and quickly says, “I’m not trying to start a fight. I know we’ve gone over this a thousand times. I just… I don’t get how you don’t see that he keeps taking advantage of you.”

“It isn’t taking advantage if I’m offering to help,” she says. “I’m going to take care of this. It’s not going to happen again.”

“And if it does?”

She turns away, eyes going to the closed door. She closes her eyes tightly for a moment, then looks back to Kurt and emphatically says, “It’s not going to happen again.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [rebloggable on tumblr ](http://klaineanummel.tumblr.com/post/178867167505/eighteen-going-on-extinct-820)


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!! Sorry I haven't updated in like, a week lol real life is a bit crazy for me right now. I'm hoping to update twice more this week, since I think I only updated once last week!!
> 
>  **WARNING** for this chapter: discussion of drug addiction and the shitty behaviour that can come from it (behaviour that, in this chapter, is directed at a child). 
> 
> A small note as well: please remember that this story is being told from Kurt's POV, and Kurt does not have all the information (or really, any information) regarding certain things. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I'll hopefully see you later this week!

Somehow, Kurt manages to avoid Puck almost completely since his return home. He does see him briefly on Friday when he gets home from the shift he had after school, but he hurries into the bathroom for a shower before the man can say anything. By the time he’s done showering (having taken at least fifteen minutes longer than he usually does), Puck is either back in Quinn’s room, or has gone out. Kurt doesn’t really care which.

He knows his mom talked to him about coming home drunk, and she said he told her it wouldn’t happen again, that it was a one-time thing, yada-yada, but Kurt isn’t sure he believes him. He can tell by the way his mom tells it that she doesn’t really believe him either.

On Saturday, he just barely manages to avoid Puck as he leaves the house, quickly hurrying out the front door just as he sees his mom’s door opening. He knows he won’t be able to keep this up forever, but he’s glad to do it for as long as possible. The less he has to see of the man, the better.

He texts Blaine all through his bus ride to work, complaining about having to work at all. Blaine tries to sympathize, but he doesn’t get very far when Kurt reminds him that he gets to sit at a chair by a computer all day. Kurt will be on his feet making sandwiches for angry Lima Losers for six hours.

It’s busy, which means everyone around him is a human shaped ball of stress for his entire shift, but it also makes things go by decently quickly.

Blaine walks into the restaurant about two minutes before Kurt’s shift ends. Kurt grins seeing him, then glances back to check that the manager on duty, Tara, is busy with the drive-thru. There’s no line for the first time all day, so he heads up to the cash register and waves Blaine up.

“Don’t you have to go wipe tables or something?” he bites at the cashier, an obnoxious junior from McKinley. She rolls her eyes but goes to do it, grumbling under her breath about him the whole way.

“Quick, what do you want?” Kurt asks, glancing to check his manager is still busy.

Blaine raises an eyebrow in suspicion but gives him his order. Kurt punches it all in, asking, “No mayo, right?” when he gets to the burger.

“What? No, you can keep the mayo on.”

“But last time you were here you brought your burger back because it had mayo. You said it ‘wasn’t for you’.”

“Yeah,” Blaine chuckles. “I meant that literally. The burger wasn’t for me. It was Burt’s.” He shrugs. “He’s had some heart issues, so I try and keep him healthy.”

“What a great foster son you are,” Kurt says, smirking as he punches his own order in alongside Blaine’s. He goes to check out, and hits the Manager Meal button, quickly punching in the general manager’s code.

The receipt prints out, and Kurt slaps it on the tray next to cash register. “I’ll just go make this,” he says, hurrying back to his station. He throws their sandwiches together quickly, then shoves them into a bag along with two large fries.

“Here,” he hands the bag and two medium cups to Blaine. “Coke for me, okay? No ice.”

“Um, Kurt,” Blaine says, stopping him from running to the back. “I didn’t pay.”

Kurt just wiggles his eyebrows, before heading to the back.

“I’m leaving,” he tells his manager as he passes, not bothering to stick around and hear her response. He hurries to the change room, pulling on his clean clothes after he discards his disgusting uniform into a plastic bag. He then shoves his uniform into his backpack and pulls his shoes on, kicking his work shoes into a corner of the change room before he leaves.

He clocks out when he reaches the front cash, plugging his code in quickly and leaving before his hour slip even finishes printing.

Blaine is sitting at a table by the drink fountain. He holds the bag of food up as Kurt approaches. “Did we steal this?”

“No, I punched it in,” Kurt says. “Come on, let’s go.”

“Kurt-”

“Blaine, the guy that owns this place makes like, twenty grand a day, minimum. I make minimum wage.” Blaine still looks uncertain, so Kurt rolls his eyes. “I do this all the time, oh my god. It’s why Ashley gave me her code, because she knows it’s insane that we get paid peanuts and are still expected to pay for our own food here.”

“I don’t know if you doing it all the time makes it better or worse.”

“Better, obviously,” Kurt says. “Now can we go? I’m tired of being in this dump.”

“Fine,” Blaine says. “But just know that I feel dirty about this.”

“I can live with that,” Kurt replies, pushing the exit open and holding an arm out for Blaine to go first. Blaine rolls his eyes, though Kurt can see the fondness behind it, and walks out.

**

It’s chilly, as Kurt predicted, and so they get on the bus and head back to Blaine’s house. They munch on their food as they go, sharing Kurt’s earphones and watching Lima go by. Not that there’s much to watch.

They get off downtown and switch to the bus to Lima Heights, thankfully only having to wait a few minutes before it arrives.

When they sit down, Kurt turns to Blaine and says, “Sorry you had to come out all this way just to turn around and come back.”

Blaine shrugs and shoves the last of his fries into his mouth. “I wanted Wendy’s, and I knew this was a possibility. I don’t mind.”

“You’re something else,” Kurt says, smirking at Blaine’s chipmunk cheeks.

“What’s that mean?” Blaine slurs around the fries in his mouth.

“It means exactly what I said,” Kurt says. Blaine glares at him and begins chewing with purpose, which just makes Kurt’s smirk turn to chuckles.

**

They get off at the bus stop right in front of Burt’s garage. Kurt looks over at it, wondering if Burt is there, or if he’s where they’re headed.

“Burt’s working,” Blaine answers for him. “It’s why I’m doing this at all. He’d kill me if he knew I was having junk food again so soon, especially since I’ve been on him about eating healthier.”

“Won’t he know when he sees the bag in the garbage?”

Blaine smirks as they begin to walk, turning down a tiny side-street away from the garage. “I’m sneaky.”

“You? Yeah, right.”

Blaine raises an eyebrow, smiling, clearly amused. “Yeah, right, me, the foster kid who rarely had possessions of his own and had to keep the ones he did have safe from foster parents or siblings, or other kids in group homes, who might take them from him. How would I ever learn to be sneaky?”

“Okay, point taken,” Kurt says with a smile. His smile turns to a concerned frown quickly, though, and he asks, “Did foster parents really take your stuff?”

Blaine shrugs. “Some of them. A lot always seemed to think the checks they would get would be for way more, so they would throw all my tattered toys out because they said they’d get me new ones. Then the first check would come, and they realized it was basically just enough to keep me alive, so the toys wouldn’t get replaced. It didn’t take me long to learn how to keep the things I treasure hidden.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah,” Blaine shakes his head. “Anyway, enough about that. This is me,” he leads them up a small pathway to a small, but detached, house.

He unlocks the door and hurries inside, Kurt following him quickly.

“I’m going to get rid of this,” Blaine says, holding the empty take-out bag out and heading further into the house.

The entrance hallway leads straight into the living room, and Kurt peaks in. He knows he shouldn’t snoop too much, but he also doesn’t want to waste the opportunity. He’s in the mysterious Burt Hummel’s house, after all. Nobody else will tell him anything about the man, and Kurt still has about a billion questions.

The living room is sparsely decorated. It’s basically just a large room with a TV, a coffee table, and a couch. There are a few cans of beer on the coffee table, and a cozy-looking blanket draped over the edge of the couch. Kurt doesn’t really care about that, though. He turns his eyes to the walls; there’s only a couple of pictures hanging there, but he’s hoping they’ll give him a tiny bit of insight into the man’s life.

Most of the images look older, almost all of them featuring a much younger Burt Hummel with far more hair. The only recent picture is a gorgeous 8x10 of Burt and Blaine, probably taken down at the Walmart photocenter. They’re both grinning like loons, and Burt has his hand on Blaine’s shoulder. They look like father and son.

“That was my first week here,” Blaine says, suddenly behind Kurt. Kurt startles a little, and Blaine whispers a quiet, “Sorry,” and places a hand on the small of Kurt’s back, as if that will make the apology sincerer. His hand falls away quickly, and Kurt instantly misses its warmth.

“I would never have guessed,” Kurt says, still staring up at the picture. “You look like a family.”

“I already felt like we were one,” Blaine says. “Burt’s the only foster parent I’ve had whose gone so out of his way to make me feel at home and welcome so fast. The picture was his idea, actually. He said his one regret from not having kids is not getting to take those cheesy family portraits,” Kurt glances over at him and sees him smiling wide. “So, of course, we had to go out and get the cheesiest family portrait possible.”

“I think it’s nice,” Kurt says, still looking at Blaine.

“Me, too,” Blaine replies. “You know, he’s the first of my foster parents to go out of their way to get a picture with me?” He shakes his head, eyes on the image. “And he did it just a week in. He’s… he’s something else.”

“I can tell,” Kurt says, feeling a strange tug in his heart, one he doesn’t quite understand.

He looks past the picture on the wall, onto the next one, a little higher on the wall, and quite a bit to the left. He frowns, stepping in front of Blaine to walk toward it. “Burt’s married?”

It’s definitely a wedding photo, and the man is definitely Burt, though he looks a lot younger than he currently does. Kurt would say it has to be from at least fifteen years ago, not just from the quality, but from the style of dress. It’s the same type of dress his mom always said she’d wanted if she’d gotten married.

“He was,” Blaine says, following Kurt to the picture. “A long time ago.”

“What happened?” Kurt asks, though he’s pretty sure he already knows. Not a lot of divorced people keep framed pictures of their weddings hanging up on their living room walls.

“She passed away,” Blaine replies, confirming Kurt’s suspicions. “Pretty soon after they married, as far as I know.”

Kurt looks back to him, tilting his head a little. “He hasn’t told you the story?”

“Not in full,” Blaine says. “Just that he had a wife, he loved her a lot, but she passed away about fifteen years ago.”

“That’s so sad,” Kurt says, then instantly feels stupid. “God, of course it is. Who says that?”

“No, I agree,” Blaine says, his eyes on the image. “It is sad.”

“And he never remarried?”

“Not as far as I know,” Blaine replies with a shrug. “I’m sure he’s dated, and stuff, but I don’t think it ever got serious.”

“He must be so lonely,” Kurt can’t help but think aloud.

“I think he is,” Blaine says. “I think… Well, I’m pretty sure it’s why he signed up for the foster care program. I’m sure after fifteen years it’s nice to have somebody around the house, even if it’s an annoying teenage boy.”

“You? Annoying?” Kurt turns to him with a smirk. “Yeah, right.”

“He’s always telling me how sassy I am.”

“Oh, okay, sassy, yes. Annoying, not so much.”

Blaine grins. “Sweet talker.”

Kurt winks, before turning back to the picture. “You know it,” he says, though the flirtatious tone drops halfway through the sentence.

“We should probably go to my room,” Blaine says after a few moments of silence. “You know, to avoid distractions.”

“Yeah,” Kurt agrees, eyes still on the picture. “Probably.”

“Come on,” Blaine nods toward the stairs. “My room is in the basement.”

Kurt takes a couple more seconds to stare at the image. This is the man who his mom cheated on Puck with. This man, smiling at another woman like she hung the moon and the stars in the sky. Was he already with her when he was seeing Quinn? Is that why it’s a big secret? Because he was having an affair on a woman who ended up dead?

“Kurt?” Blaine puts his hand on Kurt’s wrist gently. “Come on, let’s go. You owe me a story.”

He stares at the image for a split second more, thinking to himself of the story his mother owes him.

“Right,” he says. “Sorry. I’m coming.”

**

Blaine’s room is dark and cozy. The basement is small and has been decorated to look entirely like a bedroom. The only lighting seems to come from a couple of lamps scattered around the room, giving it an intimate vibe that makes Kurt’s heart race. He can’t help but glance over at the double bed tucked into a corner of the room, instantly imaging himself pushing Blaine onto it.

He really needs to get over this silly crush.

Blaine leads him to a loveseat set up by a sparsely populated bookshelf. Kurt wonders if the books on there are ones that Blaine managed to salvage from his past homes, or ones that Burt purchased for him when he arrived.

“Sit,” Blaine says, falling onto the couch easily. Kurt follows suit, tucking one leg under the other, and angling himself so that he’s mostly facing Blaine. “Okay, now talk. I want to know if any of my theories are correct.”

Kurt raises an eyebrow, trying not to laugh. “You have theories on my life?”

“Yeah, a few. Mostly immaculate conception type stuff.”

Kurt can’t help it. He lets out a loud snort. “Yeah, right. Trust me, I was the exact opposite of an immaculate conception.”

“Oh, really?” Blaine shuffles closer to him. “Curiosity piqued. Tell me more.”

“Okay, I guess we’re starting there,” Kurt takes a deep breath, trying to figure out how to phrase this. “So, I don’t… really know who my dad is?”

“Curiosity further piqued.”

Kurt smiles at Blaine’s antics. He’s so glad that Blaine isn’t being too serious about this. He doesn’t think he’d be able to take it if Blaine was acting like this was life or death.

He launches into the story of his tumultuous relationship with Puck, his frustrations over his mom’s relationship with the man, and the recent discovery that Finn might be his father. He considers mentioning the revelation that his mother used to be in some sort of secret relationship with Burt, but Kurt figures it isn’t relevant to the story (and besides, he doesn’t really know anything about it), so he leaves it out.

“So, yeah. That’s why Finn and Rachel came to get me on Monday,” he finishes with. “Because they wanted to be there when I asked Puck for the DNA sample for the paternity test. He got really mad, but at least it made my mom go along with it, so I guess it was for the better. Who knows what he would have done if I had just sauntered up and asked him.”

Blaine lets out a low whistle as Kurt concludes his story. “Wow,” he says, nodding slowly. “I see what you meant when you said things were a mess.”

“Yeah,” Kurt says, shaking his head.

“When do you find out the results?”

“Ten to fourteen days,” Kurt says, remembering the website. “Finn and Rachel sent it in Monday in the evening, and it was day-of delivery, so they probably got it sometime Tuesday in the afternoon. So, hopefully by the Tuesday after next I’ll have my answers.”

“Wow,” Blaine says, falling back against the couch. He’s quiet for a moment, then carefully asks, “What’ll you do if it turns out Puck actually is your dad?”

Kurt swallows thickly, then forces a nonchalant shrug. “Deal with it, I guess.”

“Jeez,” Blaine shakes his head. “Yeah, I never came close to that with any of my theories.”

“Doesn’t surprise me if they mostly involved immaculate conception.”

“One involved vampirism.”

Kurt laughs, pushing Blaine’s arm lightly. “You’re a dork.”

“I’ve been told.”

The fall into a comfortable silence. Actually, Kurt is surprised by how comfortable the silence is. He thought telling Blaine about his family issues might make things weird. Like, too much, too fast. Instead, it just feels right. Like Blaine was always supposed to know this.

Blaine is the one who breaks the silence, with a quiet, “Knowing who your dad is is kind of overrated anyway.”

Kurt frowns. “You know your dad?”

Blaine nods. “And my mom, but you already knew that.”

“Oh,” Kurt says. “I, uh. I just assumed he was… you know.”

“Dead?” Blaine asks, shaking his head. “Nope. I got taken away from them when I was five. Well, from my mom. My dad left us when I was only two.”

“Shit,” Kurt says. “How… how do you know him, then?”

“He came and found me,” Blaine says. “When I was twelve. Told me he wanted us to be a family. That leaving my mom was a stupid mistake.” He shakes his head. “Really he just wanted money for drugs.”

“Fuck, Blaine,” Kurt says, reaching out to rest a hand on Blaine’s forearm. “You went through that at _twelve_?”

“Yeah, but I didn’t fall for it,” he says, rolling his eyes. “My mom tried it when I was eleven.”

Kurt’s free hand balls into a fist, and he tightens the hand on Blaine’s arm. “Fuck,” he whispers. He wants to say so much more, wants to scream and shout his anger that anybody would have to go through that, let alone Blaine, and let alone at such a tender age. He presses his lips together, though, and whispers, “Fuck, Blaine I’m so sorry.”

Blaine shrugs, as though it doesn’t matter. “Comes with being the child of meth addicts,” Blaine says. “She was pretty desperate at the time. So was my dad,” he looks down at his hands. “Honestly, no matter how crappy my life in the system has been, I don’t even want to think about what it might have been if I hadn’t been taken from them.”

“Did your dad ever try and… I don’t know, get custody? Appeal to the courts? If your mom was the one you were taken from.”

Blaine snorts. “He’s not smart enough to do that,” he says. “Plus, I’m pretty sure he has another kid with another woman who also got shoved into the system, so he probably would have been red-flagged even if he did.”

“You’re ‘pretty sure’?” Kurt asks, eyes wide. “You’re just ‘pretty sure’ that you have a sibling somewhere out there in the world?”

“Oh, I’m just pretty sure that I have a sibling from his side. I know I’ve got at least four from my mom,” he seems to count them off in his head, then nods. “Yeah, four.”

“Wow,” Kurt whispers. “Do you… know any of them?”

Blaine shrugs, face barely giving anything away. “I know Cooper. He’s about twelve years older than me, and he used to live with us before I got taken away. He used to write me, but I haven’t heard from him in a long time.”

“Is he the only one you know?”

Blaine nods. Then tilts his head and squints one eye. “Well, I know she had a daughter when she was like, fourteen, but she put her up for adoption. And she had another kid between the daughter and Cooper, I think a boy. Then another girl between Cooper and me.” He shrugs once again, face still fairly emotionless. “But really, who knows. She could have had more between me and Cooper, or more after I was taken away.”

“Shit,” Kurt says quietly. “Aren’t you curious about them? Don’t you want to know, I don’t know, where they are? What they’re doing?”

“Not really,” Blaine says. “If they’re anything like my parents, then I want nothing to do with them.”

“What if they aren’t?”

“That’s not a risk I want to take,” Blaine says. “Look, Kurt, I get where you’re coming from. Your figuring out all this paternity stuff, finding your dad. Honestly, I think it’s great, and I really hope that your dad is Finn, because that Puck guy sounds like a real piece of work. But that stuff just doesn’t matter to me.”

“But, Blaine-”

“I’m serious, Kurt. I genuinely do not care.” His tone isn’t biting or harsh, but it is final. Kurt presses his lips together, trying to wrap his mind around not caring about who your family is.

He can’t, of course, and he isn’t sure he ever will be able to, but he still says, “Okay. I’m sorry if I seemed pushy. It’s just… hard for me to wrap my head around that, but whether I can wrap my head around it doesn’t matter.

“Thank you,” Blaine replies. They fall back into the silence, though this one is a little less comfortable than the one before.

Still, Kurt feels a sense of comradery with Blaine. Even though their pasts are nothing alike, they’re still messy, and Kurt likes that.

“I’m glad you told me,” Blaine eventually says. “About your family. About your dad.”

“Me, too,” Kurt says, voice quiet. “I’m glad I told you, and I’m glad you told me. About _your_ family.”

They fall back into the silence, though it isn’t long before Blaine says, “Hey, Kurt?”

He turns his head so he’s looking directly at Blaine, and sees Blaine smiling at him. “Yeah?” he asks, heart already beating faster.

“I’m really happy that you didn’t take the hint when I ignored you.”

He holds a hand out to Kurt, who reaches over instantly and takes it, intertwining their fingers together seamlessly.

“Me, too, Blaine,” he whispers, smiling softly at the boy. “Me, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [rebloggable on tumblr ](http://klaineanummel.tumblr.com/post/179077513455/eighteen-going-on-extinct-920)


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNINGS for this chapter: Puck being Puck. x10
> 
> We’re officially at the halfway mark!! This is a bit of a shorter chapter, but it’s pretty important. I’m hoping to post one more chapter this week, so be on the lookout for that!! Hope you enjoy!

Sunday after his shift, Kurt’s luck finally runs out. When he walks into his apartment, it’s to find Puck and his mom sitting on the couch, each with a bowl of mac n’ cheese, watching some reality program.

“Hey,” his mom greets, ignoring Kurt’s audible groan at the sight of Puck. “How was work?”

“Peachy keen,” Kurt replies. “Is there any of that mac n’ cheese left?”

“No, but there’s another box if you want to make it,” Quinn calls as Kurt heads to the kitchen. He nods to himself, pulling the clean pot off the drying rack, and filling it with water. He sets it next to the stove-top, turning the burner on, then pulls open the cupboard he knows houses the boxes of mac n’ cheese.

“So how are the moron twins doing, huh?”

Kurt has to close his eyes and resist the full-body shiver he experiences at the sound of Puck’s voice. He’s far too close, and a side-glance reveals to Kurt that Puck is standing in the entrance to the kitchen.

“The moron twins?” he asks, teeth clenched.

“You know, fuck-wad one and two.” When Kurt doesn’t respond, Puck groans and says, “Finn and Rachel?”

“I don’t know,” Kurt says, setting the box of macaroni down next to the pot of water. “I haven’t heard from them in a few days.”

“Yeah, right,” Puck says. “Who the hell were you with yesterday then, huh?”

“None of your business,” Kurt grits out, still refusing to turn around.

Puck hums, then says around a mouthful of macaroni, “So, out fucking then?”

Kurt clenches his jaw. “I said none of your business.”

“Just trying to make conversation here,” Puck says. “You know I don’t care who you shove your dick in.”

“Okay,” his mom finally intervenes, just moments before Kurt snaps a piece of the counter off in his hands. “Puck, that’s inappropriate. I’m sure Kurt was just out with a friend.”

The astounded, “Ha!” that Puck lets out makes Kurt’s stomach clench.

He whirls around, glaring daggers at the man. “For your information,” he says, teeth gritted, “I _was_ out with a friend.”

“Oh, yeah?” Puck asks, smirking. “What’s this mysterious friend’s name?”

“Blaine,” Kurt replies. “He lives just outside of Lima Heights.”

“He,” Puck snorts. “You sure he isn’t a friend you’re fucking?”

“Puck, I said that was enough,” Quinn replies. Puck widens his eyes and scrunches his face at her, and Kurt’s glare intensifies.

“Don’t do that,” he says.

Puck’s mocking look falls, turning to a glare. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me,” Kurt replies. “I said don’t fucking do that.”

“And what, exactly, should I not be doing?”

“Puck, come on,” Quinn says, putting a hand on his arm.

“You’re mocking her,” Kurt says. “For telling you to knock it off. It’s rude and unacceptable. Stop it.”

“For your information, buddy, I was teasing her. Because she’s my girlfriend.”

“Well she’s my _mother_ , and I’m telling you to stop. Got it?”

“Listen-”

“Puck,” Quinn says again, firmer this time. “He’s right. Stop.”

Puck turns to her, eyes wide. “Are you fucking kidding me? Babe, you know I was just kidding.”

Quinn glances over at Kurt, who stares back at her, begging her not to back down. She then turns back to Puck and says, “I know, but I still didn’t appreciate it. I meant it when I told you to stop asking Kurt questions about his social life.”

“You mean his sex life.”

“What the _fuck_ is wrong with you?!” Kurt barely manages to avoid shouting. “Have you just never been given boundaries, like, ever? In your entire life?”

“I’m not talking to you right now,” Puck says, eyes still on Quinn.

Kurt turns to Quinn and says, “You know if he was any other guy you would have dumped his ass and kicked him in the nuts to boot right now, right?”

“I’m not any other guy, though,” Puck says before Quinn can respond. “I’m your fucking dad. So why don’t you pipe down while your mom and I discuss the misunderstanding we just had.”

“The one where she told you to stop something twice and you didn’t?”

“Did I not just tell you to pipe down?”

“Oh, my god!” Quinn shouts, hands covering her ears. “Oh, my god, oh my god, oh my _god_!” When both Kurt and Puck fall into silence, she shouts, “Can you two not be in the same room for two seconds without going at each other’s throats?!”

“He fucking started it,” Puck says, pointing at Kurt with his fork.

“Yeah, right. Because I’d ever willingly start a conversation with you.”

Puck practically growls and steps forward with a menacing, “Listen to me, you little shit-”

Kurt steps back, his hand going behind him to steady himself, and instantly shouts in pain as his hand falls on the burning boiler. “Fuck!” he shouts. “Fuck, fuck, _fuck_!”

“Kurt,” his mom hurries past Puck to his side, pulling his hand up. Three bright red half-rings are branded into his palm.

“Holy fuck, that hurts,” Kurt shouts again, letting his mom maneuver him to the sink so she can run cold water onto it.

“Jesus,” Puck mutters. “That looks fucking brutal.”

“Shut the _fuck_ up,” Kurt screams. “Oh, my god, just get out of here!”

“Hey-”

“Puck,” Quinn says, turning to face him, a killer glare on her face. “Either get him some ice, or leave.”

“But, babe-”

“Not _now_ ,” Quinn says, voice like steel. “Ice, or get out.”

The water is ice cold, but it still barely does anything to dull the pain of Kurt’s palm. “Fine,” Puck says, shoving his half-empty bowl onto the counter and stalking past them, walking out of the kitchen and opening the front door. “I’ll be back whenever baby here is done crying over his own dumbass mistakes.”

“You fucking-”

“Just go, Puck,” Quinn shouts, and the man finally, finally leaves. As soon as the door closes, the sob Kurt has been dying to release lets loose. His eyes fill with tears, and his unburnt hand clenches, both in pain and frustration.

“It’s okay, baby,” Quinn says, keeping his hand under the water. “It’s going to be okay.”

“No, it’s not, mom,” Kurt says, wiping at his tears with his fist. “Don’t you get it? As long as he’s around it’s _never_ going to be okay.”

She pulls away, heading to the freezer to pull out some ice. She doesn’t say anything as she takes it out of the freezer, puts it in a zip-lock bag, then wraps that bag in a dish towel. She then turns the sink water off and places the ice on Kurt’s palm, making him hiss at the contact.

“It has to be okay,” she finally whispers. “There has to be a way to make it okay.”

Kurt doesn’t reply, knowing his inevitable, “ _There isn’t_ ,” will only make her cry. He’s already seen her cry too many times since Puck got back.

**

Kurt and Quinn are cuddled up on the couch, Kurt with fresh ice on his hands, Quinn with her head tucked against Kurt’s shoulder, when Puck gets back.

Kurt can smell the alcohol on him right away, and his defenses instantly rise.

“Oh, how quaint,” the man slurs, gesturing toward them. “Little family, watching some wholesome TV now that the big, bad wolf is gone.”

Quinn stands before Kurt can. “What the _fuck_ , Puck,” she growls. “You told me it was a one-time thing.”

“Oh, whatever,” he says. “It doesn’t matter, does it? Who fucking cares? He’s not my son,” he points at Kurt, “which is just as well because he hates me anyway, and you,” he points at Quinn, “you’re going to break up with me because the little bastard got in your head.”

The speed at which Quinn begins to shake her head makes Kurt’s heart hurt. “I’ve never broken up with you,” she says. “You know that.”

“You will this time,” Puck says, cackling. “I’m finally back for good, just in time for him to spread his hate to you.”

“Can we talk about this later?” Quinn asks, stepping forward. “When you aren’t drunk out of your mind?”

“I’m just saying it like it is,” Puck says. “He hates me, and now he’s infected you,” he glares at Kurt, then turns the puppy dog eyes onto Quinn. “You’re on his side, now.”

“He’s my son, Puck,” Quinn says. “Of course I’m on his side. But I’m on your side, too.”

“Well, clearly you can’t be,” Puck spits. “This obviously isn’t working. It’s me or him, babe. Make your choice.”

Kurt can see the tears welling in Quinn’s eyes, and his stomach knots.

“Don’t do this, Puck,” Quinn whispers. “Just go to bed, okay? We’ll talk about it in the morning.”

“Pick, goddammit,” he shouts, stepping forward, instantly in her face. “Just fucking pick who you want more in your life – me or him?”

Quinn shakes her head. “Puck, he’s my son,” she says. “My _son_. You can’t – you know I’ll always pick –”

Puck scoffs. “Yeah. See, that’s the thing. He used to be _our_ son.”

Quinn looks down at the ground. “Just go to bed, Puck. You don’t know what you’re saying.”

Puck scoffs again. “No, I know. I know exactly what I’m saying. And I know exactly what you’re saying, too.”

Without another word he turns back around and storms out of the apartment. Kurt watches him go, his mom sobbing in the middle of the living room, and quietly hopes that it’s the last time he will ever see that man.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everybody!!!! I'm so sorry that it's been so long since I posted. My wifi is super spotty right now, and will continue to be for at least the next two weeks. Because of that, I'm posting two chapters today (chapter 12 will come shortly after this one) and I might post one tomorrow, since I don't actually know when I'll be able to post again after that (potentially not until November 7 or 8, but I might be able to squeeze a chapter in in-between). 
> 
> Warning that you're not going to be happy with Quinn in this chapter, but I hope you will try and be empathetic as well. Abusive relationships, even if the abuse is emotional and not physical, are difficult, and people in them don't always make the best decision.
> 
> I hope you enjoy, and I'll see you in a bit with chapter 12!

Monday morning dawns bright and early, and Kurt is surprised when he opens his bedroom door to find his mom sitting on the couch, a large bowl of cereal in her lap.

“Mom?” he asks, taking a cautious step toward her. “What are you still doing here? Shouldn’t you be at work?”

She shakes her head. “Called in,” she whispers. “I couldn’t… the thought of being there…”

“Hey,” Kurt says, hurrying to her side. “It’s okay. I get it. Last night was rough.”

Her eyes begin to water, and Kurt pulls her close to him, though he makes sure to keep his burnt hand (covered in an old strip-cloth bandage to keep the numerous burn dressings – which their next-door neighbor miraculously had – in place) elevated and away from her body.

“He was just drunk,” his mom says, though Kurt isn’t sure if she’s speaking to him or to herself. “He was just drunk.”

“Exactly, mom. He was drunk. After he specifically told you he wasn’t going to fall off the wagon again.”

“I provoked him.”

“No,” Kurt says, shaking his head. “No, stop right there.”

“It’s true, I did.”

“No, it’s not, and you know it. He’s the dick, not you. Remember what you told me last time he got drunk? That I didn’t put the beer in his hand or shove it down his throat?”

She shakes her head fondly and smiles up at him despite the tears in her eyes. “Why did I raise you to be so smart?”

“Rookie mistake?”

“That’s gotta be it,” she says, leaning back in close to him. “How’s your hand?”

Kurt doesn’t get to respond, though. The door opens slowly, and the sound of boots walking in rings through the apartment.

Puck peeks past the wall separating the living room and the kitchen, and Kurt feels his jaw tense.

“Um. Hey.”

“You,” Kurt hisses, but before he can say anything else, Quinn is out of his arms and running at Puck.

Kurt hopes more than anything that she will slap him across the face and force him right back out.

Of course, that isn’t what happens.

“You came back,” she says, throwing her arms around Puck’s middle and hugging him close.

“Of course I did,” Puck says, his own arms coming around Kurt’s mom. Kurt’s stomach turns at the mere sight. “I was… Fuck, Quinn, I was so stupid last night. I don’t know why I said that. I don’t even know why…” He shakes his head, then pulls Quinn away from him so they’re looking into each others’ eyes. “It’s the last time, okay? I’m never going to get like that again.”

“I’ll help you, okay? Just like last time. I’ll help you get better.”

“I’m so fucking sorry, Quinn,” Puck says, pulling her close once more.

Kurt can’t watch any longer. “Hello?” he calls out, standing up. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

Puck takes a deep breath, then brings Quinn to his side, keeping an arm firmly at her side. “Kurt,” he says. “I’m really sorry about last night. I was out of line, both before and after I got drunk.”

“That means nothing to me,” Kurt says. “Mom, are you fucking kidding me? You’re just going to forget everything he did? Just like that?”

“Kurt…” she pleads.

“No, it’s okay, I get it,” Puck says, and fuck this suddenly super-understanding guy. Kurt wants to rip his throat out. “He’s angry. It’s fair. I wasn’t nice to you, or to him. But I’m going to change.”

“Did you fuck a therapist or something last night?” Kurt bursts. “Mom, you’re not seriously buying this, are you?”

“Kurt, he’s being sincere,” she says, but Kurt doesn’t want to hear it.

“Yeah, just like he was being sincere when he was apologizing for fucking my second-grade teacher. Just like he was being sincere when he apologized for taking our rent money and skipping town two days later, fucking off for a year-and-a-half. Just like he was sincere when he apologized for only sending one child support check a year for the past _eighteen fucking years_. Mom. He’s always goddamn sincere when he apologizes, and then he does the same thing all over again.”

Puck’s jaw twitches, and Kurt points to it instantly.

“See? He’s so fucking sincere, but he’s dying to deck me right now.”

“Kurt!” Quinn shouts. “Your father is not dying to deck you.”

“Oh, so he’s my father again, huh?” Kurt scoffs. “You know, fuck this. I’m going to be late for school.”

He goes back to his room, ignoring their murmuring as he goes. They manage to leave him alone for as long as it takes for him to change, but as soon as he’s shoving his shit into his backpack, his mom is knocking on his door and peaking in.

“Kurt, can we talk about this?”

He turns around, shoving his backpack onto his bed forcefully. “It’s never going to stop, is it?” he asks. “You know I finally thought you were realizing what a piece of shit he is. How he pits us against each other, always tries to make it him versus me. I thought you were finally realizing how you always fucking choose him, and that maybe that isn’t okay. But turns out all it takes is a couple of ‘I’m sorry’s’ and soulful puppy dog eyes, and you’re back in his arms like you’re fucking sixteen again.”

“Kurt, you don’t understand,” Quinn says, shutting the door behind her with a silent _click_. “He made a mistake.”

“He made a thousand fucking mistakes,” he says, arms raising in the air. His eye catches on his bandaged hand and he waves it in front of her. “How about this, huh? How about the fact that he fucking lunged at me and I burnt my goddamn hand moving away from him?”

“That’s not how that went, Kurt,” she says, keeping her voice far too calm.

“Oh, right. So, I just fucking backed up against the burner for no reason, because I’m that stupid.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Well, whatever you _are_ saying, I don’t want to hear it,” he says. “I’m tired of this shit.” He shakes his head. “I’m going to Finn and Rachel’s after school today.”

“Kurt --”

“No,” he says, turning around and zipping his backpack up, then slinging it over his shoulder. “I need some time away, from him, and from you.”

Her eyes fill with tears, and she reaches forward to him. “Kurt, please.”

“Stop, mom,” he says, dodging her attempt at contact. “Just stop. I get it now,” he shakes his head. “No matter what happens, no matter what you say… you’re always going to choose him.”

“ _Kurt_ ,” she pleads, but Kurt is done.

He pushes past her out of his bedroom and out into the living room. Puck is still standing there, staring down at his nails like he can’t wait for this all to be over. Kurt scoffs. _Yeah_ , he thinks, _sincere apology, my ass._

“You,” he says, pointing an accusing finger at the man. “You better smarten the fuck up.”

“Look, Kurt, I told you I was –”

“No, _you_ look,” he spits. “You somehow got the most amazing woman in the world to love you despite the fact that you are a literal piece of human garbage.” He can feel his mother’s eyes on him, but he refuses to look back at her. “You better start to treat her fucking right, or I will actually beat the shit out of you; even if the test proves that you _are_ my father.”

Puck doesn’t say anything, seemingly stunned at the threat of violence. Kurt is a bit stunned himself. He’s never considered himself a violent person before, but right at this second, staring up into the eyes of the man who has ruined and continues to ruin his mother’s life, all he feels is the urge to punch.

He pushes past Puck before the man can regain his sense of speech, walking out of the apartment and letting the door close with an audible _slam_. He hurries down the hall and down the stairs, wanting to get out of there as soon as he can.

**

Somehow, he ends up at the bus stop earlier than he usually would and has to wait a good fifteen minutes before the bus rolls up. He jumps on, slumping into a seat near the back entrance, as per usual, and shoving his backpack beside him. He bounces his leg to the music in his earphones, anger flowing through him.

He’d texted Finn about the situation as soon as he got to the bus stop, but he hasn’t heard back from him yet. He guesses the man is preparing his lessons for the day, so he doesn’t mind; he just hopes he gets it in time to tell Kurt if it won’t work.

A couple of people glance at his hand as the bus fills, but Kurt just sneers at them. Whatever. He’s already been the topic of the school’s useless gossip mill for the past few weeks. Might as well give them something else to talk about.

The bus finally reaches Blaine’s stop and the boy gets on, flashing his bus pass with a small smile before heading right to where Kurt is sitting. Kurt pulls his earphones out of his ears, already feeling his spirits lift a little.

“Whoa,” Blaine says as soon as he sees Kurt. “What – Your hand!”

“Yeah,” Kurt nods, pulling his backpack onto his own seat. “I burnt it pretty bad.”

“On what?!” Blaine takes cups Kurt’s injured hand gently between his own, as though his touch alone will help to heal it.

“Stove,” Kurt says. “I’m going to have a wicked scar.”

“What in the world happened?” Blaine asks, hands closing softly over Kurt’s, cradling it in his warmth. Despite everything, Kurt can’t help but smile.

“I got into a fight with Puck while I was making supper,” he says. “He moved toward me aggressively and, like a moron, I backed away right into the lit burner.”

Blaine tuts, shaking his head. “You’re not a moron. I’d be scared, too, if an angry man was advancing on me,” he brings Kurt’s hand up to his lips and presses a kiss over the bandaged palm. “There,” he says, grinning. “All better.”

“Thank you,” Kurt says, missing the warmth of Blaine’s hands as soon as he takes them away. “It feels better.”

“Well, that’s what I’m here for,” Blaine replies with a wink. “Seriously, though, are you okay? Burn aside.”

Kurt shrugs, hugging his backpack closer to his chest. “I don’t know,” he admits. “I’m obviously pissed as hell at Puck, but I’m also kind of pissed at my mom.” He frowns as the words come out of his mouth, almost tasting wrong. “I hate that,” he says. “I hate being mad at my mom.”

Blaine puts a hand on his shoulder. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Kurt glances around the bus, shaking his head. “Not here,” he says.

“Oh, so we’re putting a stop to all the deep talks on the bus?” Blaine asks, voice lilting teasingly. “Because I was really excited to tell you more about my childhood on the bus ride home.”

“Guess you’ll just have to tell me at lunch instead,” Kurt winks.

Blaine chuckles. “Only after you tell me why you’re mad at your mom.”

Kurt presses his lips together for a moment, then nods. “Deal.”

**

By the time lunch time rolls around, Kurt is ready to pull his hair out. People have been staring at him and whispering all goddamn day. They keep staring at his bandaged hand and then turning to their friends and mumbling to each other.

He’s sick of it.

“I fucking burned it,” he snaps at a couple of freshmen, who instantly turn bright red and look away.

“Rough day, huh?” Blaine asks as he walks up to Kurt’s locker. If anything, his being there only seems to make people turn to each other and whisper harder.

“Would have been better if people didn’t keep whispering about me right in front of my goddamn face,” he says, loud enough for everybody doing exactly that to hear.

“Oh, yeah,” Blaine says, a fake smile appearing on his face. “Apparently you’re hot news again.”

“My stupid hand, right?”

“A little,” Blaine replies as they start to walk down the hall. “I’m part of it, too.”

“Really, now?”

“Yep,” Blaine’s smile widens. “Apparently you’ve officially hit rock bottom, going from the Incredible Scott Smith to little ol’ me. So far I’ve heard people whispering about how I’m not as hot as, or as smart as, or as athletic as, or as rich as, or as good in bed as their all-powerful overlord.” His face becomes even more manic, eyes expanding impossibly. “I don’t even want to know how they figure the last one.”

“Christ,” Kurt rolls his eyes. “So, I went from not being good enough for Sebastian to being too good for you? What the literal hell.”

“I know, right? How fun is this school?”

Kurt snorts. “Why do you think you’re my only friend?”

“Not for my looks, brains, athleticism, money, or sexual abilities, that’s for sure.”

They find an empty classroom and head inside, falling into two desks at the far side of the room.

“It’s so goddamn stupid,” Kurt says. “Like, why does anybody even care about me? Sebastian’s gone, they can leave me alone now.”

“Apparently not,” Blaine shakes his head. He opens his lunch bag, then stops and gives Kurt a look he doesn’t like at all. “Actually, before I forget, I need to tell you what people are saying about your hand.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Kurt rolls his eyes. “Fine, lay it on me.” Blaine looks apprehensive, so Kurt just says, “Blaine, I’d rather hear it from you then from one of the dipshits on the football team. Just tell me.”

“Yeah, so,” Blaine clears his throat. “The rumor going around is that your mom caught us in bed together and got so mad she broke your wrist.”

“What the fuck, that doesn’t even – the bandage doesn’t even reach my wrist how do they—” Kurt stops, closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, trying to calm the fury rushing through him.

“Thank you for telling me,” he says through gritted teeth. “I’m glad I heard it from you, because if I heard anybody else talking shit about my mom like that, I would have decked them.”

“Really?” Blaine asks, something crossing his eyes that makes Kurt instantly feel guilty.

Kurt sighs. “No,” he says honestly. “I’m not actually the violent type. I mean, I did tell Puck I’d beat the shit out of him if he didn’t start treating my mom better, but he evokes a special kind of anger inside me.”

“Right,” Blaine says. He doesn’t look fully convinced.

“Seriously, I talk a big game, but I can’t fight for shit. Sebastian was so upset when he found out his ‘bad boy rebellion boyfriend’ couldn’t even throw a punch.”

Blaine narrows his eyes at him for a moment, then asks, “Have you dated anybody other than Sebastian?”

Kurt freezes. “What?” he asks. “Why?”

“Sorry,” Blaine says, pulling his sandwich out of his bag. “That must have seemed random. I just… you never talk about any other ex-boyfriend’s. Just Sebastian.”

Kurt ponders the question for a moment, brain still trying to catch up with the shift in conversation. “I never actually thought about that,” he says. “I, uh. I guess I haven’t. Not really.”

“Not really?”

“Yeah, like, I’ve gone on dates, or whatever, but never anything serious until Sebastian.”

Blaine stares down at his sandwich, picking at the crust. “Did you love him?”

Kurt’s throat dries. He swallows thickly, and his heart starts to pound. “I thought I did,” he says.

Blaine nods, picking at his crust a little bit more. Then, he looks up, smile just a little bit too wide to be real. “Well, I guess I have my work cut out for me, huh? As your Rumor Boyfriend and all that. Everyone already says you must be constantly comparing me to Sebastian, and now I know you loved him…”

“I _thought_ I loved him,” Kurt corrects quickly. He sucks on a cheek, deciding if he should say anything, then decides to fuck it all and says, “Those rumors are correct, though. I do compare you to Sebastian.”

Blaine’s entire face falls. “What?” he asks, voice cracking. “Are you serious?”

Kurt nods. “Yep,” he pops the ‘p’. “Like, for example, every time we have a conversation, even if it’s about you, you always end up asking me how I’m doing, or how I’m feeling. Then after those conversations, you follow up. You actually care about all the shit going on with my family. Sebastian never even asked to meet my mom.”

Blaine’s face brightens slowly as he seems to realize what Kurt is saying. “So, I’m the winner in these comparisons?”

Kurt scoffs. “Are you kidding? You’re like, the champion. Sebastian has nothing on you.”

“Even though you thought you loved Sebastian?”

“Thinking you love someone and genuinely liking someone are two totally different things,” Kurt says. “Blaine, you and I are friends. That’s not something I could ever say about me and Sebastian.”

Blaine raises an eyebrow. “And the hot thing?”

Kurt rolls his eyes, though he can’t stop the smile creeping up his lips. “Okay, you’re pushing it.”

“What about the sexual prowess thing?” Blaine wiggles his eyebrows. “Am I better in bed than Sebastian?”

Kurt raises an eyebrow. “Well, I wouldn’t know, but I’m guessing yes.”

Blaine smirks. “He was that bad in bed, huh?”

“Oh, no,” Kurt shakes his head. “Sebastian was _awesome_ in bed.” He shrugs, going for nonchalant. “I just have a feeling that you’d be way better.”

Blaine stares at him with wide eyes and parted lips as he says it, and god, Kurt likes him so much. If it weren’t for Blaine’s stupid no-dating rule, he’d kiss him.

He glances down at Blaine’s lips, then up to Blaine’s eyes. He catches Blaine looking at his lips as well.

Fuck.

Should he kiss him?

Blaine leans in a little, and Kurt feels the pull, leaning forward as well.

Before their lips can touch, Blaine pulls away. “So, um, tell me about the issues with your mom,” he says, voice higher than usual.

Kurt pauses where he is, hand clenching into a fist where it sits atop the desk. He takes a deep breath, then sits back up, levelling Blaine a hard look. “What about my mom?” he asks, all too aware of the bright blush coloring Blaine’s cheeks.

“You said you were mad at her, too, not just Puck. Why?”

Kurt shrugs, trying to diffuse the awkwardness lingering around them. “Puck got really drunk last night, and when he came home he told mom she had to choose between him and me. She said she didn’t want to, but that she’d choose me if it came down to it, so Puck left. Then this morning he comes back, feeds her some sob story about how he’s going to change, how things will be different, whatever, nothing we haven’t heard a million times before,” he rolls his eyes. “And the moron fucking believes him. She just ran into his arms and basically told him none of it mattered and that she’d love him forever and ever no matter what.”

Blaine lets out a low whistle. “Wow,” he says, deadpan.

“Pretty much,” Kurt says. “So I told her I was going to stay at Finn and Rachel’s for a bit,” he says. “Well, if they’re okay with it. I haven’t heard back from Finn yet.”

“If you can’t stay there, I’m sure Burt would take you in,” Blaine says. “At least for a night or two.”

Kurt smiles thinly. “Thanks,” he says, though what he really wants to say is, “ _And do you think you could stop teasing me with the implications that you want more than just friendship with me if we were under the same roof at night?_ ”

“Anyway,” he says, ridding his mind of the thought, “I’m just annoyed that my mom keeps falling for the same dumb shit over and over. And I’m annoyed that she drags me into it. She knows Puck and I don’t get along, that apartment is like a toxic waste site, but she refuses to do anything about it. She’ll never kick him out, even when he pulls bullshit like last night.” He shakes his head. “You know the worst part? For a minute there, I actually thought she’d changed.”

Blaine tilts his head a little. “How do you mean?”

“He was being an asshole when I burned my hand, and so she told him to either get me some ice, or to get out. He didn’t get me the ice, so she made him leave. She’s never done that before,” he looks down at his bandaged hand. “Didn’t matter, though. She still fucking took him back, like it was nothing.”

“Maybe it isn’t nothing,” Blaine says. When Kurt raises an eyebrow at him, he hesitantly continues. “I mean, I don’t know your mom, but from what you’ve told me this was clearly an important step forward. Maybe… I don’t know, maybe she’s realizing she’s been wrong all this time to keep him in your lives, but she’s still trying to cling to their relationship?”

Kurt sighs, slumping in the chair. “I really hope you’re right,” he says. “But even then, I don’t know if she’d ever actually get to the point of kicking him out of our lives,” he stares past Blaine, out the window. A few red leaves blow by. “I just hate how it’s come between us. I hate that she’s always putting her desire to be loved by him above the well-being of our family.”

Blaine nods pensively. “It isn’t fair to you,” he says.

“No,” Kurt agrees without hesitation. “It isn’t.”

**

He finally gets a text back from Finn by sixth period, informing him that he is always welcome in their home. He asks what happened, and Kurt texts back that he’ll explain later, and then apologizes for not being in contact more since they came to his house.

Finn, of course, tells him that it’s no problem. Because that’s just how Finn is.

He finds Blaine after last period so they can walk to the bus stop together, even though Kurt is going to have to cross the street and take the bus coming the opposite way to get to Finn and Rachel’s. Blaine pouts about how he’s missing out on more deep talks, and Kurt hates how cute it is.

He waits for the bus with Blaine, knowing the one on the opposite side of the road won’t come for at least ten minutes after the other bus leaves. Blaine tells him about his annoyance with his lab partner in Chemistry as they wait, then promises to text Kurt about how terrible the bus ride is without him.

He keeps that promise, and Kurt has to stop himself from grinning when every new text update from Blaine comes in. Blaine is always sassier in his texts than he is in person, and Kurt loves it.

They keep texting until Kurt arrives at Finn and Rachel’s house, when he begrudgingly tells Blaine that he’ll probably have to step away from his phone for at least an hour as he fills Rachel and Finn in on what’s been going on.

_From: Bowtie Blaine_

_Fine, but I’ll miss you._

Kurt isn’t sure whether to grin or groan. Blaine and his mixed signals are going to drive him crazy one of these days.

_From: Kurt_

_Careful now. I’m going to start thinking you like me._

Blaine’s answer comes in a flash, and it makes Kurt’s heart ache.

_From: Bowtie Blaine_

_I think you know by now that I do._

He pockets his phone, arriving at Finn and Rachel’s house. Despite wanting to follow this rabbit hole, maybe even bring up the almost-kiss from lunch, Kurt knows he should be present for the conversation about to follow.

He rings the doorbell and Finn answers in a second, pulling him close and wrapping him in his arms. Kurt closes his eyes as Finn’s familiar scent envelops him, and wonders if this is what it feels like to be hugged by a father.

“Alright, you,” Finn says, putting his arm around Kurt and dragging him into the house. “Tell me everything that happened, okay?”

He sees Rachel peeking out from the dining room, a bottle of water in hand. “I think you mean _us_ , Finn,” she says, glaring at her husband. “Tell _us_ everything that happened.”

Kurt smiles as Finn sticks his tongue out at her, letting the man lead him into the dining room. There’s a plate of fruit on the table, as well as a bowl of chips and a couple of cans of Coke. Kurt’s stomach warms at the sight of it, as well as the thought of Finn and Rachel going to the trouble of preparing this for him.

“Seriously, Kurt,” Finn says as they sit down, Finn beside Kurt and Rachel opposite them. Finn’s hand comes up to Kurt’s shoulder and squeezes it softly; comfortingly. “Tell us what happened.”

Kurt just shakes his head and says, “Every-fucking-thing, guys. Every-fucking thing.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [rebloggable on tumblr](http://klaineanummel.tumblr.com/post/179479060545/eighteen-going-on-extinct-1120)


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter of the day!! I hope you all enjoy, and I'll hopefully see you tomorrow :D

Kurt feels a knot in his stomach when he wakes up, which is not what he expected. Rachel had promised the night before to drive him to school, which means he got to sleep in, something he was very looking forward to. Unfortunately, the extra half hour in bed has done nothing for the strange feeling deep in his gut when he wakes up.

He knows it’s because of his mom, and his conflicting feelings of anger toward her. As happy as he is to be with Finn and Rachel, and as great and relaxed as the previous evening had been, he still hates that he’s away from his mom. He hates how mad he is at her. He hates how Puck has managed to drive them even further apart.

“You’re quiet this morning,” Rachel says once they’re in the car. Kurt shrugs, keeping his forehead pressed against the cool glass of the window. “Did you not sleep well?”

“I slept great,” Kurt says, voice flat. “I always do when I’m with you guys.”

Rachel doesn’t answer for a moment, then says, “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

Kurt sits up in the seat. “That’s the thing,” he says quietly. “I did talk about it. All I did last night was talk about it. How I’m so messed up over being mad at my mom, how fucking Puck—”

“Hey, it’s okay,” Rachel puts a hand on his arm, though she doesn’t look away from the road. “You don’t have to say anything. I’m sorry I asked.”

“No, don’t be sorry. It’s nice that someone cares.”

Rachel quietly says, “Kurt, your mom cares about you.”

He snorts. “Not enough to keep that dillweed out of my life.”

“Yeah,” Rachel replies instantly. “Yeah, I don’t know what to say about that. I don’t want to turn you more against your mom, but –”

“But?”

“But I have no idea why she keeps Puck around. Especially after he’s caused such a strain on your relationship.”

Kurt’s heart aches, even though he is thankful for her honesty. “Me neither,” he says, letting his head fall back against the window. “Me neither.”

**

Rachel gives him a lengthy hug goodbye, similar to the one he received from his mom on his first day of kindergarten and high school. He can’t bother feeling embarrassed, however. He just lets himself melt into her embrace and holds her tight for as long as she wants him there.

When he finally lets go, though, he feels his phone vibrating in his pocket. He finishes saying goodbye to Rachel, then heads toward the school’s entrance, fishing his phone out of his pocket to check the new message.

 _From:_ _Bowtie Blaine_

_Hey, Burt wanted me to let you know that all the parts for Puck’s bike have arrived and that he should have it ready for you by the beginning of next week._

Kurt raises an eyebrow as he reads it, then looks up just in time to see Blaine waving at him from the steps of the school.

He jogs toward him, shaking his phone in Blaine’s face when he gets close enough. “What’s the point of texting me when you’re going to see me in two seconds?”

Blaine shrugs, hands going to his pockets. “I don’t know,” he says. “I was worried I’d forget.”

“Okay, well then why didn’t you just tell Burt to call me at lunch to let me know.”

“He said I might as well tell you myself,” Blaine says, turning on his heel and starting to walk into the school, a bit of a blush on his cheeks.

“Hey, whoa,” Kurt puts a hand on his arm. “What’s with the blush?” The question just turns Blaine’s cheeks redder. “Seriously, what is it? What did he actually say?”

Blaine groans, rolls his eyes, then says, “He told me that I might as well tell you myself, since I love talking to you so much.”

Despite everything going on in his life, Kurt can’t help but grin. “You love talking to me, huh?”

“Oh, shut up,” Blaine shoves his shoulder gently, then hurries up the rest of the steps and into the school, a chuckling Kurt following not-far behind.

**

The school day seems to trickle by, every class seemingly eternal. He texts Blaine through all of them, though the boy only texts him back during the short breaks between classes. At lunch Blaine tells him he should really focus on his school work more, which just make Kurt grin and say, “You know I have one of the highest GPA’s of my grade, right?”

He hates how slow things seem to be going. He can barely concentrate on anything other than the inane texts he sends Blaine throughout class, which means that his mind keeps veering toward topics he’d rather not think about. Like how angry he is that he’s angry at his mom. Or, how Blaine is _still_ sending him mixed signals, even though he obviously never plans on actually dating Kurt. Or, how he didn’t even bring a change of clothes with him to Finn and Rachel’s house, which means he’s been wearing the same clothes as he was yesterday. And how he hasn’t changed his hand bandage in over 24 hours, so by the time the end of the day rolls around he feels really gross.

“Stop scratching your neck,” Blaine says as he comes up to his locker after the last period. “You look like you have lice.”

“I just feel gross,” Kurt says. “I slept at Finn and Rachel’s last night, and I didn’t exactly stop by my apartment to get a change of clothes between the end of school and going to their place.”

“You know,” Blaine says as they head out. “I’d really like to meet these amazing potential family members of yours.”

Kurt frowns. “What?”

“I’m serious. I mean, you’ve met my non-father, so it only seems right.”

Kurt narrows his eyes. “You haven’t even met my actual mother.”

“Yeah, but that seems like a touchy subject right now, so I think I want to hold off on that,” Blaine says with a shrug.

“Fair,” Kurt says. “Well, here’s your chance,” he waves at Rachel, who is standing outside of her car waiting for him. She waves back, and Kurt begins to lead Blaine toward her.

“Oh, wow. Now, right now?” he asks.

“Is that a problem?” Kurt asks. “You did say you wanted to meet them.”

“I meant it, too, I just… I don’t know, I guess I was thinking more along the lines of a lunch over the weekend or something.”

Kurt rolls his eyes. “Why the formality?” he stops himself from muttering _it’s not like we’re dating_ , not really wanting to open that particular can of worms. “Come on, it’s just Rachel. She’ll love you, you’re wearing a bowtie with little fish on them.”

“What does my bowtie choice have to do with anything?”

“Nothing, it’s just – nothing, never mind. Hey, Rachel,” Kurt says, finally reaching the car.

“Hey, you,” she replies, eyes going to Blaine. “Who’s this?”

“This is Blaine,” Kurt says. “My friend.”

“Oh,” Rachel says, a smile suddenly wide on her face. “Blaine, hello, it’s so wonderful to meet you.”

“You as well,” Blaine replies, holding his hand out to shake. Rachel raises her eyebrows, clearly impressed, and shakes his hand firmly.

“So polite,” Rachel says. “How exactly did you end up with a friend like him?” she nods to Kurt.

“Excuse me,” Kurt says, glaring at her. “I’m polite as fuck.”

“Clearly,” she teases. “So, is Blaine joining us for dinner tonight?”

Blaine starts shaking his head before she even finishes the sentence. “I couldn’t possibly impose,” he says, holding his hands out as if that will further distance himself from the offer. “I just, you know, wanted to meet you. Since you’re obviously so important to Kurt.”

Rachel’s smile widens. “Okay, now I must insist that you join us for dinner.” She leans forward and conspirationaly whispers, “You know, Kurt has never introduced me to a friend of his before. He didn’t even introduce me to that boyfriend of his.”

“Really, now?” Blaine asks, turning to Kurt with a smirk on his face. “Not even to Silas the Magnificent?”

Rachel lets out a laugh that’s closer to a shout and claps her hands together in delight. “Oh, my, okay, you _have_ to come to dinner now. Please, I insist.”

Blaine presses his lips together, then glances at Kurt. “I mean, I’d have to ask Burt first.”

“So, ask him,” Kurt says. Blaine raises an eyebrow, to which Kurt replies with, “What? You think I don’t want you at dinner or something?”

“No, of course not,” Blaine says. “Um, just give me a minute, I’m just going to call Burt real quick.”

He steps away, pulling his phone out of his pocket. Kurt watches him for a moment, but is forced to look away when Rachel wraps her hand around Kurt’s wrist and pulls him toward her.

“I’m sorry, did he just say Burt?” she asks.

“He’s his foster dad,” Kurt says. “Or, shit. I don’t know if I’m supposed to say that. Is that not something I should say to people?”

Rachel ignores him, instead asking, “Burt as in Burt _Hummel_?”

“Oh, yeah,” Kurt nods. “Yeah, but don’t worry, I haven’t been like, investigating mom’s past or anything. I mean, I did go to his house once and look at his pictures and stuff, but the guy wasn’t even there. Don’t worry.”

“Kurt –”

“Seriously, Rachel, it’s fine. I’m not friends with Blaine because his foster dad is Burt Hummel.” She doesn’t look convinced, so Kurt leans in closer and says, “I’m not just saying that. I really like Blaine, and it has nothing to do with Burt Hummel and his mysterious past with my mom.”

“Kurt—”

He cuts her off again, with a whispered, “He’s my only fucking friend, okay?”

Her face instantly morphs from suspicious to empathetic. Her eyes soften, and her lips curve downward. “Oh, honey…”

“No, don’t,” he says. “I just… forget I said that, okay? I just didn’t want you thinking I was only hanging around him because of who he lives with.”

Rachel opens her mouth, but then seems to change her mind and closes it again.

“So, Burt said it’s cool if I skip dinner with him today.” Blaine is shoving his phone back in his pocket and rolling his eyes as he walks back up to them. “I’m sure that’s code for ‘I’m going to have the greasiest burger delivered from the diner down the street,’ but whatever. I’ll get on his case when I inevitably find the evidence when I’m taking out the trash.”

“Great,” Kurt says, eager to put an end to Rachel’s pity. “Then let’s get going. I’d really like to not be at school anymore.”

Rachel nods, heading over to the driver’s side. “Sounds good,” she says, though her eyes are still too soft for Kurt’s liking. Kurt just shakes his head and gets into the passenger’s seat, hoping that she won’t bring the subject back up after Blaine leaves.

Of course, he knows she will, but still. Doesn’t hurt to hope.

**

Finn is already home from work when they arrive, and within ten minutes of meeting Blaine he’s already pulled out the scrapbook that Kurt made him when he was twelve. It makes Kurt groan and blush, but he doesn’t complain once, keeping his eyes on Blaine as the boy is shown every embarrassing picture Kurt decided to include for some god-forsaken reason.

“Aw, look at this,” Blaine says, grinning down at a picture of Kurt and Finn in tiaras, both smiling widely at the camera. “Why don’t you rock the tiara anymore, Kurt? It’s a good look for you.”

“Because it obviously doesn’t go with the bad-boy-devil-may-care attitude I’m attempting to exude so that people leave me the fuck alone,” he replies honestly, raising a single eyebrow. “Now stop acting like you don’t have a ton of embarrassing childhood photos as well.”

“Of course I do, but they’re all scattered throughout orphanages and government funded group homes, so good look tracking them down.”

Kurt just rolls his eyes as Blaine goes back to the scrapbook, letting Finn tell him the whole story behind Kurt’s wanting-to-be-a-princess phase when he was nine.

They’re almost done with the scrapbook when Rachel excuses herself to go make dinner. Finn instantly stops her, reminding her that it’s his night to cook and her night to clean. She smiles, then sends Kurt a wink as she tells Finn that they’ll just have to cook together tonight. Within seconds, Kurt and Blaine are alone.

Kurt is still staring at the doorway that Finn and Rachel have disappeared through when Blaine says, “God, I hope we’re like that when we get married.”

Kurt turns to him so quickly he almost gives himself whiplash. “What did you just say?”

Blaine tilts his head, eyebrow furrowing slightly. “I said I hope I have a relationship like that when I get married.”

Kurt narrows his eyes. Despite Blaine’s confused act, he can still see the blush blooming on his cheeks.

“You know, I don’t get you,” he blurts.

Blaine’s eyebrows furrow even further, actually looking genuinely confused now. “What do you mean?”

“You just – you told me you didn’t want to date me, but you keep doing things like telling me your foster dad teases you about me, almost kissing me at lunch, making a huge deal about the fact that it’s not _me_ you don’t want to date, you just don’t date in general, and now you’re pretending like you didn’t just say you think about us getting _married_.”

“I didn’t –”

“Yes, you did, and you know I heard you, so stop.” Blaine looks down at his lap, cheeks bright red. He doesn’t speak, though, so Kurt continues. “Look, you told me you didn’t want to go out with me, and I respect that, but it’s hard to respect that when you keep making it blatantly obvious that you like me, too.” Blaine still doesn’t say anything. “So, just… if you’re really serious about not wanting to date me, you need to stop sending me these mixed signals. You need to stop almost kissing me, and talking about us getting married, for fuck’s sake.”

Blaine looks up at him, eyes full of unshed tears. Kurt’s heart stops, not for a second expecting that reaction.

“I’m sorry,” Blaine says. He opens his mouth to continue, but is interrupted by the sound of the doorbell ringing.

Finn instantly calls out that he’ll get it, hurrying back through the living room and causing Blaine to look away. Kurt sees a tear run down his face, and has to stop himself from reaching forward and wiping it away.

He hears the door open, as well as Finn say, “What are you doing here?” in the harshest voice he’s ever heard him use.

“I brought some of his clothes,” he hears his mom, and for the second time in five minutes he whips himself around. He can see Finn standing in front of the door in the foyer, holding it open, but his mom isn’t standing close enough to it for him to see her. “I know he hates wearing the same thing twice in a row.”

“Quinn, I really don’t think you should be here.”

“Is he here?” she asks. “I know he didn’t have a shift today.”

“He’s in his room,” Finn says, not even glancing over at Kurt. Kurt’s heart is beating so loud he’s surprised his mother can’t hear it. His hands clench on his knees.

“Okay, well, let me in so I can give him these clothes.”

“I don’t,” Finn steps slightly to the side, clearly blocking her path, “think that’s such a good idea.”

There’s a brief moment of silence before Kurt’s mom says, “You can’t stop me from seeing him, Finn.”

“Quinn, I really don’t think—”

“You can’t stop me from seeing my _son_. He’s my goddamn son, you can’t _keep me from him_.”

Blaine’s hand covers Kurt’s, and Kurt instantly unclenches his fist. He opens his hand and allows Blaine’s fingers to slot between his.

“Maybe you should have thought about that before continuing to put him in danger,” Finn says, sounding far calmer than Kurt feels.

“Danger? _Danger_?! You seriously think –”

“Yeah, I do. Quinn,” Finn lowers his voice, though Kurt can still hear him. “You know just as well as I do that being around Puck is bad for Kurt.” He shakes his head, stepping forward slightly, clearly trying to get her to back away. “What I don’t understand is how you could be selfish enough to keep your son in a toxic situation just because you can’t get over a fling you had in high school.”

“You don’t get to talk to me this way,” Quinn says, voice cold as ice, and Kurt can practically see the glare on her face. “You may have been a confidant to him, but I am his _mother_. You can’t just act –”

“I’m his goddamn father,” Finn shouts. Kurt’s eyes widen, and Blaine squeezes his hand. He’s never once heard Finn raise his voice. “I’m his goddamn father, so don’t act like I have no say in his well-being.”

“Puck is his father,” Quinn says.

“No, Quinn,” Finn says, voice lower, though still firm. “ _I_ am his father. I don’t care if that test comes back and proves he’s Puck’s biologically, _I am his goddamn father_. And I’m tired of that man treating my son like garbage, and I’m tired of you letting him.”

“You have no right,” Quinn says. “No fucking right. You have no idea what I’ve been through. What I’ve done for Kurt, for our family, to keep him safe. You may have watched him a few times as a kid, and housed him when he felt overwhelmed by his teenage angst, but I’ve always been there for him. I wiped every tear, I kissed every scratch, I held his hand through every hard moment in his life, and cuddled him back to sleep after every nightmare. So, don’t you fucking act like you’re better than me because you have no goddamn clue how hard it is to be a parent.”

A tear falls down Kurt’s cheek at his mom’s words.

“You know what,” Finn says. “I don’t. You’re right. I haven’t been there for him like you have. But I’m here for him now, when you refuse to be. I’m here for him now, when it matters. And I can’t believe that after all that, after everything you just told me, that you would turn your back on your son because of a crush you had in high school.”

“I didn’t turn my back on him, you fucking asshole, _he_ left.”

“Because he didn’t feel safe in his own home, Quinn, what about that aren’t you fucking getting?!”

“Look, just let me see him. I need to talk to him, I need to –”

“Quinn,” Rachel’s voice reverberates through the house. She stalks through the living room and to the front door, hands clenched at her sides and eyes hard. “I think you should leave.”

“Don’t you even start with me, Rachel.”

“I’m not,” she says. “Because you need to leave. Right now.”

Nobody says anything for what feels like an eternity. Kurt shuts his eyes, and more tears fall down his face.

Finally, he hears Quinn say, “Fine. I’ll go. Just… just give him these clothes, okay? And tell him I love him.”

“Of course,” Rachel replies, voice far softer than moments before. “Of course.”

Blaine’s hand squeezes Kurt’s again as the sound of plastic bags exchanging hands reaches his ears.

God, he hates this. He hates this so much. He hates everything about this situation, and he just wants it to _end_.

The door closes, but Kurt still doesn’t open his eyes, tears falling freely from his eyes by now. He hears Finn and Rachel’s footsteps approaching, and then the sound of a couple of plastic bags being set down on the couch beside him.

“Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes, okay?” Finn says, his hand coming down to Kurt’s shoulder and giving it a good squeeze.

Kurt nods, though still doesn’t open his eyes. He feels Rachel’s hand on his shoulder as well ,and then they’re both gone, leaving him alone with Blaine, who is still squeezing his hand like his life depends on it.

As soon as he can no longer hear Finn and Rachel’s footsteps, he lets out a sound that can only be described as a sob. Within seconds Blaine has his arms wrapped around Kurt’s body and has pulled him close. Kurt fits his face into the curve of Blaine’s neck and brings his own arms around Blaine’s middle, holding him tight.

He just wants those damn paternity test results to come back so this can be fucking over. That’s all he wants. For this whole entire mess to be fucking _over_.

**

Dinner is spent in awkward silence, Kurt clutching Blaine’s hand under the table like a lifeline. Rachel tries to initiate conversations about the production of Wicked she’s hoping to star in soon, but those conversations peter out quickly.

Once dinner is over, Blaine announces that he should head home. “You know,” he says, trying for casual. “Make sure Burt hasn’t eaten too much junk food in my absence.”

Finn and Rachel assure him that it was a pleasure to meet him, and make him promise to come by the next time Kurt is staying with them. Blaine returns the platitudes and promises to join Kurt on a visit sometime in the near future.

“Kurt, can I talk to you for a second before I go?” he asks when they reach the front door. Kurt glances back at Finn and Rachel, who are staring at him with far too much worry in their eyes. He nods and steps outside behind Blaine, shutting the front door behind him to avoid Finn and Rachel’s eavesdropping.

Blaine is glancing around, clearly uncomfortable, so Kurt says, “If this is about what happened earlier with my mom, I’m really sorry that you had to see that.”

“What?” Blaine shakes his head. “No, that’s not –” he looks down at the ground, arms crossing over his chest. “I actually think I should be the one apologizing.”

“You had no control over what happened, Blaine. I’m just sorry you had to be exposed to all the bullshit that’s happening with me right now.”

“Kurt, this isn’t about your family, or what’s happening with them,” he says, voice soft. “Though, just so you know, I don’t think it’s bullshit, and I want you to know that I’m always here for you if you need to talk about it.”

Kurt nods, but says nothing.

Blaine takes a step closer to him and says, “No, I wanted to apologize for what we were talking about before.” He reaches forward, as though to take Kurt’s hand again, but drops it when their hands are inches away from contact. “About me, and my mixed signals.”

“Oh,” Kurt says, breathing the word out like a sharp exhale.

“You’re right,” Blaine continues. “I’ve been sending you mixed messages, and it isn’t fair. I…” he looks away from Kurt, cheeks reddening slightly. “I do have feelings for you, Kurt. Crap,” he sinks his face into his palms. “I wasn’t… Shit.”

Kurt doesn’t even comment on the cuss word, instead moving forward and peeling Blaine’s hands away from his face. “You have feelings for me?”

Blaine laughs, though it comes out warbled and strange. “Of course I have feelings for you,” he says. “I accidentally told you I was thinking about us getting married.”

Kurt smiles. “Wow.”

“But I shouldn’t… I shouldn’t have even told you that. See, this is what I’m trying to apologize for,” he shakes himself out a little, then stands up straighter, clearly forcing himself to make eye contact with Kurt. “It’s not fair of me to tell you this, or to act like I have been. I’m being selfish, and indulging my crush, but I shouldn’t.”

Kurt swallows thickly and nods slowly. “Because you’re not going to go out with me.”

Blaine presses his lips together, then jerks his head forward once. “I’m sorry.”

Kurt glances past him. “You know it’s probably for the best,” he says, trying to sound calmer than he feels. “I mean, as you can clearly see my life is a bit of a shit show right now, so adding a boyfriend to that would be—”

“Right,” Blaine says. “So, um. We’re on the same page then.”

“Of course,” Kurt says. Then, after a moment’s hesitation, “Thank you.”

Blaine frowns. “For what?”

“For apologizing,” he says. “And for being honest with me. You’re…” he feels warmth flood his cheeks, so ducks his head. “You’re kind of my best friend, Blaine.”

“You’re mine, too.”

Kurt looks back up to find Blaine smiling at him. Without a second thought he reaches forward and pulls Blaine into a crushing hug, the feeling of the slightly smaller boy absolutely perfect against him.

“Thank you for being here for me today,” Kurt says. “I’m sure anybody else would have bailed as soon as my mom showed up.”

“Well ‘anybody else’ is a stupid idiot,” Blaine says, stepping out of the hug. “I told you, I’m here for you.”

Kurt is surprised by the deep rush of emotion he feels for the boy. After all, he and Blaine have only really been friends for a few weeks. He’s never felt as close to someone in as short a time.

“Alright, well, I should probably head out,” Blaine says. “I think the bus heading downtown should be arriving soon.”

“One can only hope,” Kurt says.

Blaine gives him a soft smile, and then steps back in and gives him another hug. This time, though, he leans up a little and presses a soft kiss to Kurt’s cheek.

“Sorry,” he says as he steps away. “That was the last selfish indulgence. I promise.”

Kurt nods, fingers coming up to graze the spot where Blaine’s lips had just been. He can feel the spot tingling and smiles slightly.

“I’ll see you tomorrow at school,” Blaine says, heading down the stairs of Finn and Rachel’s porch.

“Right,” Kurt says. “See you tomorrow.”

Blaine gives him one last wave goodbye, then fully turns around and walks toward the bus stop. Kurt can see the smile on his face, and, despite everything else, he can’t help but smile.

**

Finn and Rachel are waiting for him in the living room. Rachel stands as he walks in, and gestures to where she’d just been sitting on the couch. Taking the hint, Kurt goes and sits there. Rachel seats herself on the coffee table in front of he and Finn.

Nobody says anything at first. Kurt doesn’t even know what to say. He feels like his feelings have been a little all over the place today, and right now, without Blaine’s hand in his, he feels naked. Like everything is going to come crashing down around him at any moment.

It’s Finn who eventually breaks the silence, with a sigh and a, “What are your long-term plans here, Kurt?”

Kurt shrugs, picking at his bandage. “I don’t know,” he says.

“Because we are more than happy to let you stay here for as long as you want, but…” he glances at Rachel, who nods slightly. “But Quinn is right. She’s your mother, and she does have a right to see you.”

“I don’t know that I want to see her right now,” Kurt says. “Not after watching her take that douchebag back after everything he did.” He shakes his head. “I know I already said this, but I really thought she’d turned a corner. That that was it, that he was actually gone.” He rolls his eyes, keeping them looking up at the ceiling. “How fucking naïve.”

“It’s not naïve to think your mom would put your needs first, Kurt,” Rachel says. “She always has before.”

“Never when it comes to him, though,” Kurt says. “You know, I’m pretty sure he could have actually thrown me against the stove and she still would have taken him back.” He blinks, trying to stop tears from falling. He’s already cried enough today. “Did I mention that he’s drinking again? Yeah, he’s come home drunk twice now. You know what she told him last time he came home drunk, all those years ago?” Finn and Rachel say nothing, so he continues. “That if he didn’t get help, they were done. That if he ever came home drunk again he was out of our lives.” He snorts. “So much for that.”

Finn and Rachel still don’t respond. Instead, they simply lean forward and each put a hand on Kurt’s arm. Rachel squeezes tight, and Kurt presses his lips together. He really doesn’t want to cry again.

“Hey, um, Finn,” he says, turning to the man. “Thanks for what you said. About… about being my dad.”

Finn nods, shifting closer to him on the couch and wrapping an arm around his shoulders. “I mean it. You’re… you’re my son, okay? You always have been. I’m sorry that I’ve been a bit of an absent father, but—”

“You haven’t,” Kurt says quickly. “You’ve always been there for me, from the time I was a kid. More than Puck ever has.”

“I’m glad to hear you feel that way,” Finn says, holding him closer. “And we’re serious. You can stay here as long as you want. Okay? Until you get this all figured out.”

Kurt nods, then turns to Rachel with the tiniest smile he can muster and says, “So, does that make you my evil stepmother?”

She laughs, pinches his arm lightly, and then stands up and wraps him in a sweet, warm hug. Finn joins the hug a moment later, and the tears Kurt’s been fighting finally break free.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [rebloggable on tumblr ](http://klaineanummel.tumblr.com/post/179479363065/eighteen-going-on-extinct-1220)


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it’s been longer than expected for this chapter!! Thanks to everyone who is sticking around for this fic, it means the world to me <3 I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and I’ll see you soon for the next one!!

It takes Kurt until Wednesday to realize that he has finally dropped off the McKinley gossip radar. Apparently some Cheerio threw a massive kegger that weekend, and all kinds of embarrassing things went down.

Kurt doesn’t care what it was, he’s just glad that people aren’t whispering about him anymore. He’s more than happy to go back to ignoring everybody and having everybody ignore him. The only thing that really annoys him is that it took this long for everyone to finally leave him alone.

If he had known how much a shit show school would become after he and Sebastian broke up, he never would have dated the boy in the first place.

**

On Thursday, Kurt gets a text from his mom, begging to talk to him. She says she misses him, that she wants him to come home, that she knows he likes Finn and Rachel but she’s his _mother_ , he should be living with _her_.

Kurt doesn’t text her back. He doesn’t even know what he would say if he did.

**

“You’re working a shift tonight, right?” Blaine asks as he reaches his locker at the end of the day.

Kurt holds up the plastic bag containing his uniform. “Unfortunately.”

“When do you work until?”

“Nine, I think,” Kurt says. “It’s just a short shift, thank god.”

“Do you want to come over after?” Blaine asks, eyes going wide. “Burt didn’t eat any junk food the day I had dinner with you, so to reward himself he’s buying us a whole cheesecake from the diner down the street. Want to help us devour it?”

Kurt practically moans at the words. “Oh, stop, you had me at ‘cheesecake.’ I may not be there until almost ten, though, is that okay?”

“Yeah, of course. I figured that would be the case anyway.”

“Cool,” Kurt says, and they start to head out of the building. “I look forward to it.”

“Me, too,” Blaine grins, and Kurt’s heart does a stupid summersault in his chest.

**

Of course, now that he has something to look forward to, his shift drags. He’s only there for three and a half hours, but it still feels like one of the longest shifts he’s ever worked. It’s crazy busy, too, which usually makes a shift fly by, and yet.

He ditches his station as soon as his shift is over, knowing they’re going to be switching all the sandwich making to drive thru anyway. He changes before the manager on duty can try and make him stay to shut down his station and clocks out before shouting that he’s leaving.

He’s surprised when he exits the building to find Blaine waving at him from beside an old pick-up truck, with Burt Hummel sitting behind the wheel.

“Hey,” Blaine says. “Burt told me he didn’t want to stay up too late, so we thought we’d come get you instead of forcing you to take the bus.”

Kurt glances at the man in the truck, who waves his hand once. “So this was all Burt’s decision?”

“Yep,” Blaine says, his smile completely innocent. “Come on. We’re going to pick up the cheesecake on the way back.”

Blaine hops into the front, and Kurt smiles at the way Burt quietly tells him to fasten his seat belt before turning back to Kurt. “Hey, there,” Burt says. “Good to see you again, kid.”

Kurt stops himself from letting out a snarky, “Is it?” and instead settles on, “You, too.”

“Almost done with your friend’s bike. Did Blaine tell you about how the parts came in?”

“I told you I told him,” Blaine says, rolling his eyes. Kurt bites his lip to stop himself from smiling. He can practically hear the whiney “ _Daaaaaaad_ ,” in Blaine’s voice.

“Yes, he told me,” Kurt says as Burt starts up the truck.

“Good. It’s been smooth sailing since they came in. I’m hoping to have it ready for you on Monday.”

“Great,” Kurt says, already dreading having to inevitably see Puck and his mom when the bike is done.

“Okay, can we stop talking business?” Blaine asks. “We’re here so you can get to know Kurt, not tell him about the work you’re doing on his bike.”

“Okay, okay,” Burt says with a chuckle, bringing a hand out to ruffle Blaine’s hair (or, ruffle it as much as he can considering how much gel is in it). “Message received. So, Kurt, Blaine told me you burned your hand pretty bad, but I don’t see a bandage on your hand. Healing up well?”

They make idle chit-chat as they drive to the diner, most of it about Kurt’s injury, with Burt giving him advice on how to minimize the now-dark-brown scar. Despite his gruff exterior, and the fact that he obviously didn’t like Kurt the first time they met, Burt is clearly making an effort to get to know his foster son’s friend. Every time Kurt thinks about Blaine saying that they’re here so Burt can get to know Kurt he feels warmth pooling in his stomach.

When they get to the diner, Burt leaves the truck idling and promises to be right back with the dessert. As soon as he’s gone, Kurt leans forward and asks, “Okay, so what did you do to get him to like me?”

“What?!” Blaine turns around quickly, eyes wide. “Why would I have to do anything to get him to like you?”

Kurt raises an eyebrow. “Maybe because he acted like he wanted to kill me when I suggested my asking you out the first time we met.”

Blaine rolls his eyes. “He didn’t want to kill you,” he says. “He’s just… gruff. Or he seems that way. He’s an amazing guy, Kurt, and he knows you’ve been a great friend to me since I started at McKinley. He wants to get to know you.”

“I’m sure,” Kurt says. “Seriously, you didn’t like, slip him a twenty or something so he’d be nice to me?”

“No, Kurt, oh my god,” Blaine laughs. “He’s nice, and he cares about me, and I care about you, so he wants to get to know you. That’s all.”

It takes all Kurt has not to turn Blaine’s admission of caring into flirtatious banter. He wants to, he really does; there are few things he enjoys more than flirting with Blaine. After Blaine’s apology on Tuesday, though, he knows he shouldn’t. It isn’t fair to Blaine to ask him not to send Kurt mixed signals, only for Kurt to do the same to him.

Burt returns with a large box soon after. He hands the box to Blaine, who instantly opens it and picks a piece off.

“Hey,” Burt and Kurt say at the same time. Blaine’s eyes widen, but he still pops the piece in his mouth. “Blaine,” Kurt says, alone this time. “You can’t just dig your fingers into a cheesecake we’re all going to share.”

“Exactly,” Burt says. “Sheesh, Blaine, who raised you?”

“Not you,” Blaine says around his mouthful of cheesecake, but he says it with a grin that makes Kurt think that it’s some kind of inside joke between the two of them. Burt confirms it by chuckling and shaking his head, starting the truck back up.

It’s a short ride to their house, and it’s mostly made in silence. Blaine opens the box again, but Burt quickly puts his hand over the lid, stopping Blaine from sneaking any more. Blaine scowls at him, which just makes Burt grin and Kurt chuckle.

It isn’t long after they arrive at Burt’s house that they’re all seated around the living room, the cheesecake in the centre of the coffee table, each holding a plate and fork.

“Okay, so this piece is Blaine’s,” Kurt says, cutting around the spot Blaine had dipped his fingers in. Blaine sticks his tongue out at him but takes the piece anyway. Kurt starts to cut a piece for Burt, while Blaine digs into his own slice, moaning obscenely at the taste.

“God, this is amazing,” Blaine says. “Why don’t we eat this every day?”

“Because you’d be on my case about my heart too much, and it would annoy me,” Burt says, falling into his recliner with his slice. Kurt cuts himself a slice and then tucks himself into the edge of the couch Blaine is sitting on as well, careful to keep a safe distance between them.

“Sorry for caring about your health,” Blaine says around a mouthful of cheesecake, sending Burt a sideways glare. Burt just chuckles and shakes his head.

“So, Kurt,” he says, turning to the boy. “I’ve been meaning to ask you: how’s your mother?”

Kurt’s eyes widen, and he freezes with the fork halfway in his mouth. “Uh. My mother?”

“Yeah, Quinn Fabray, right?” Burt shifts in the chair, clearly trying to be as casual as possible. “How has she been? I haven’t seen her in years.”

 “She’s been good,” Kurt says, looking down at his cheesecake. “She’s store manager at that nice bakery downtown.”

“That’s good,” Burt says. “Say hi from me, huh? And hey, maybe when you come pick up the bike you could bring her along. I’d love to see her again.”

Kurt chews on his bottom lip. “Yeah, maybe,” he says.

“Man, I still can’t believe she’s got a kid,” Burt says. “And that you’re almost eighteen. Just… wow. Can’t believe it.”

“Time flies,” Kurt mumbles, eating another bit of cake.

“No kidding,” Burt says, shaking his head.

They fall into a slightly uncomfortable silence. Kurt glances over at Blaine and sees him looking between him and Burt, clearly trying to figure out what about this conversation about Kurt’s mother has made things so weird.

“I, uh,” Blaine says, clearing his throat. “I got an A on my English paper.”

Burt jumps on the change of subject, and Kurt goes along with it as well, thankful for Blaine. He watches happily as Burt and Blaine interact, at the way that Burt is genuinely pleased with Blaine’s grade, and seems sincerely interested in hearing about the essay.

Watching them talk, Kurt never would guess that they aren’t actually father and son. They have an easy comradery about them, an ease with one another that screams family. Kurt wonders if he and Finn and Rachel have that same aura about them.

He knows he and Puck don’t.

They each take a second slice of cheesecake, and then, Blaine takes a third. Kurt and Burt tease him about it, but Blaine just ignores them. Burt glances over at the clock on the wall, and gasps in surprise.

“Oh, my god, is it really already eleven?” he stands up. “Man, time sure flies when you’re having fun.” He picks the box of half-empty cheesecake and asks, “Kurt, do you want me to put some of this in a container for you? Blaine and I really shouldn’t have this just sitting around the house.”

“I’m going to be so fat,” Blaine mumbles, still eating his third slice.

“Yeah, right,” Kurt says. “But yes, thank you, I would love some to go. I’m sure Finn will be happy to split it with me.”

Burt glances at him, clearly trying for casual, and says, “Oh, Finn is that… that your mom’s boyfriend?”

Kurt snorts. “No,” he says quickly. “No, he’s, um. Well, he’s a family friend.”

Burt nods. “Finn… Why does that sound so familiar?”

“Finn Hudson?” Kurt asks. “He and my mom knew each other in high school.”

Burt continues to think on it. “She must have mentioned him sometime,” he shrugs. “That must be why I know that name.”

Kurt bites his lip to stop himself from asking if Burt remembers Puck, too. He really doesn’t feel like ruining this wonderful evening, though, so he manages to keep his mouth shut as Burt disappears into the kitchen to get Kurt some Tupperware to take the cheesecake home.

As soon as he’s gone, Blaine turns to Kurt and asks, “Am I totally oblivious, or have you never mentioned your mom and Burt knowing each other to me?”

Kurt raises an eyebrow to him. “I mean, I’ve never mentioned it, but you were right there when Burt recognized my last name at the garage, so I just assumed you knew.”

“Huh. I must have been zoning out or something,” Blaine says, frowning a little. “Small world, huh?”

“Getting smaller,” Kurt says, teasingly shifting closer to Blaine. The boy laughs but doesn’t push him away.

Burt comes back at that moment, holding a plastic container with a large slice of cheesecake. “You want a ride home, kid?” he asks, holding the container out for Kurt.

Kurt winces. “I don’t want to be an inconvenience.”

“No inconvenience,” Burt says, shaking his head. “Come on. Blaine, can you make sure the cake gets in the fridge?”

Blaine glances between them once more, but eventually nods. “Uh, yeah, of course. I’ll see you Monday at school, Kurt.”

Kurt nods and waves goodbye, not wanting to hug Blaine in front of Burt. He then heads out the door and follows Burt to the truck, this time sitting in the passenger seat.

Before they leave, he pulls his backpack and the plastic bag with his uniform in it into the front with him, not wanting to forget them later. He then tells Burt the address for Finn and Rachel’s house, and they head off.

“So, hey,” Burt says after a few minutes of driving in silence. “I wanted to tell you something, but I didn’t want to embarrass Blaine or anything.”

“Oh?” Kurt asks, heart suddenly in his throat.

“Yeah, I, uh… Well, to be honest, I wanted to apologize for how gruff I was at the garage.”

Kurt’s eyes widen in surprise. “What?”

“I judged you based on how you look, and how you talked, and so when you said you were interested in Blaine I was a little stand-offish. Seeing you two together today, though, and hearing all the stories Blaine’s told me about you, well. Obviously I had the wrong first impression. So, I’m sorry about that.”

“Oh,” Kurt repeats, shocked at the admittance. He isn’t sure that any adult has ever said anything like this to him before. Especially not one he barely knows. “Wow, um. Thank you, I guess, but the apology really isn’t necessary.”

“Look, let me be frank with you, Kurt,” Burt says. “I obviously know that you like my kid, and he clearly likes you, too. I didn’t know how I felt about that, but you clearly care about him, and are good for him. It wasn’t fair of me to judge you before getting to know you. So, yeah, apology necessary.”

Kurt nods, throat a little dry. “Well, in that case, apology accepted,” he says. “But just so you know, Blaine and I… that’s not going to happen.”

“Hey, that’s none of my business,” Burt says, briefly lifting his hands from the steering wheel. “I’m just saying what I saw.”

Kurt nods again, and says a quiet, “Okay,” for lack of anything better to say.

They fall into silence, but this time around it isn’t uncomfortable. Kurt doesn’t know anything about Burt’s past with his mom, how any of that came about, or how it fell apart, but he does know that in the present Burt is a kind man. A kind man who clearly cares deeply about Kurt’s best friend and treats him the way a son deserves to be treated.

If Burt can admit that he was wrong about Kurt, then Kurt can accept that maybe his assumptions about Burt, based exclusively on the knowledge that his mom cheated on Puck with him when she was seventeen, were erroneous as well. Or, at least misinformed. For now, Burt is a kind man and a wonderful foster father.

Until his mother deigns to tell him any more information about him, he plans to color his views on the man based on those factors alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [rebloggable on tumblr ](http://klaineanummel.tumblr.com/post/179736905310/eighteen-going-on-extinct-1320)


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another shorter chapter, but this one is a super important one. Hope you all enjoy <3

Over the course of the weekend, Kurt’s mom texts him exactly seventeen times. Kurt knows, because he refuses to read them, and so the notifications just keep piling up.

He doesn’t want to read them just yet, though. Not until he has at least the slightest idea of how he plans to answer them.

Because of them, he spends most of the weekend away from his phone. He leaves it in the back when he goes to work on Saturday (something practically unheard of at his job), and then puts it in his room when he gets back to Finn and Rachel’s, leaving it there while they spend the evening playing board games and watching some action movie Finn has apparently been dying to see. He does the same on Sunday as well, only opening his messaging app when he happens to see a text from Blaine telling him he finished the cheesecake and feels like exploding.

Unfortunately, by the end of the weekend Kurt still has no idea what he’s going to do about his mom. He really hates being mad at her, and he hates that he isn’t currently living with her, but he can’t see any simple solution appearing in the near future.

He knows he needs to come up with something soon, though. Burt could call him at any time over the next week to let him know that Puck’s bike is ready to be picked up, and once that happens he’s going to be forced to contact his mom. He knows he doesn’t want the first thing he says to her after almost a week of not speaking to be, “Hey, Puck’s bike is fixed,” but he really can’t see a way around it playing out that way.

There’s also the fact that his paternity test results are supposed to be arriving sometime this week. His heart flutters in his chest just thinking about it. Soon, he’ll have definite proof that that man has no business being in his life. Soon, he’ll be able to officially call Finn ‘Dad’.

He knows he shouldn’t be so optimistic about the results, but he also feels like he has to be. He needs some good news. After everything that’s happened lately, he thinks the universe kind of owes him.

**

Both Rachel and Finn are busy around when school gets out, meaning Kurt has to take the bus.

“It’s kind of stupid because I literally see you all day every day,” Blaine says as they wait for his bus, “but I miss taking the bus with you.”

“I’m sure I’ll be back on the route soon enough,” Kurt says, shoving his hands in his pockets. It’s the first chilly day of the year, and idiot that he is, he forgot his jacket. “I miss it too, you know.”

“Sap,” Blaine says, bumping their shoulders together. Kurt sticks his tongue out.

“Honestly, it’s a pain in the ass to get to Finn and Rachel’s on the bus,” Kurt says, shaking his head. “Stupid fucking Lima, with it’s four bus routes.”

“I’ve lived in worse,” Blaine says. “When I was fourteen I lived in a city that had no bus system.”

“Christ,” Kurt says.

“Oh, here we go,” Blaine says as the bus pulls up. “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay? Text me when you get on the bus!”

“Yes, mom,” Kurt calls, though the barb ends up stinging him a little. Blaine laughs, though, which makes it a little bit worth it.

As soon as the bus is packed and has rolled off, Kurt crosses the street to wait on the other side for the bus going downtown. He pulls his phone out to text Blaine something lame like ‘don’t drown in the sweat of ten thousand teenagers’ and finds that his mom has sent him three more texts.

He unlocks his phone, then locks it immediately, ridding his screen of the previews of the texts. He shakes his head as he pulls his earphones out of his backpack and plugs them in.

He knows he should really deal with this. His mom is clearly making an effort, and he does hate not talking to her.

He just… isn’t ready. And he has no idea when he will be.

**

Turns out the universe doesn’t really care if he’s ready or not.

He sees her before he even reaches Finn and Rachel’s house. For a moment, he considers turning around and running away. Then, she makes eye contact, and he realizes how stupid that is.

She’s his mother. He’s never gone this long without speaking to her. He supposes he can’t really blame her for showing up like this.

“Kurt,” she calls him over as he continues the walk to the house. She’s got another plastic bag with her, though also seems to have forgotten her own jacket.

“Hey,” he greets when he’s finally close enough. He stays off the porch, looking up at her, unsure of what to say.

She looks him over with a frown. “Aren’t you cold?”

He shrugs. “Aren’t you?”

“Yeah,” she replies. “I’m freezing. That’s why I asked.”

Kurt shrugs again, knocking his foot against the bottom porch step.

When he doesn’t say anything, his mom says, “You’ve been avoiding my texts.”

“I didn’t really know what to say,” he says.

“Kurt,” she breathes, and Kurt looks up to see tears welling in her eyes. “You’ve never – We’ve never – I hate not talking to you, honey.”

“Me, too,” Kurt whispers. “But, mom, I’m just – I’m so goddamn mad at you.”

She looks down at her shoes, arms wrapping around herself. “I figured,” she says. She glances back up and says, “You know he’s been better. He hasn’t come home drunk since you left, and he’s been asking about you all the time. He really… he’s been better.”

“That doesn’t mean anything to me, mom,” Kurt says. “You know it doesn’t.”

“I know,” she whispers. “Can’t blame me for hoping, though, right?”

“That’s kind of the thing,” he says, stepping up onto the first step. “I do blame you for hoping. You hoping is what keeps getting us into these binds with him. You hoping is why he keeps coming around, even though he obviously doesn’t give a shit about us. You hoping is how he knows he can take advantage of you.”

“He doesn’t take advantage of me,” she says, but the excuse sounds weak.

Kurt shakes his head. “Yes, he does, and you know it. I know you love him, mom, I do, but what I don’t understand is _why_.”

She holds her arms closer to herself. “Haven’t you ever felt connected to someone? Like, no matter what happens, you know they’re it for you? You know you’re meant to be together for the rest of your life?”

He nods without a second thought. “Yeah, mom, I have,” he says, stepping up one more step. “With you.”

Her face crumbles, and within moments she’s in his arms. He hugs her tight for a moment, but then pushes her back up onto the porch, trying to ignore the hurt in her eyes.

“But you clearly don’t feel that for me,” he says.

“Of course I do,” Quinn replies. “You’re my _son_ , Kurt. You’re my everything.”

“No,” Kurt shakes his head. “Puck is. If I was really your everything you would have realized a long time ago how terrible he is for our family.”

“He _is_ our family, Kurt,” she pleads.

“Why, though?” Kurt asks. “Why does our family have to be a mother, a father, and a child? Why can’t our family just be you and me? Or you, me, Finn, and Rachel? Why does _he_ have to be a part of it?”

“He’s—”

“I think you know that what you’re about to say isn’t true,” Kurt cuts her off.

She sniffs, wiping under her nose with her hand. “I want it to be, though,” she says. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted. You, me, and Puck, together and happy.” Tears well in her eyes and she looks up at the sky.

Kurt kicks the step above him, and admits, “I used to want that, too.”

She looks back at him, frowning through her tears. “What?”

“I know,” he says, shaking his head. “It was a long time ago. I asked Santa for Christmas for my mom and dad to stay together this year,” he shakes his head at his own ridiculousness.

“How come I never saw that?” she asks.

“I knew you read my letters, so I gave it directly to the Santa at the mall. Finn took me,” he chuckles. “It’s funny, actually, because when the Santa read my letter he gave Finn the dirtiest look. Obviously assumed he was the dad I was referencing.”

She chews on her bottom lip, then quietly asks, “What changed?”

“I grew up,” Kurt says, knowing his tone is a little snappish. “I grew up watching him leave us. I grew up watching you fall apart every time he did. I grew up seeing your face every time we got the mail and his parent support check wasn’t there. I grew up hearing him ask you for money every goddamn time he came into town. I grew up watching you end perfectly good relationships because he snapped his fingers and decided he wanted to fuck you for a week,” he shakes his head, looking away. “I grew up watching him take advantage of you, mom, and I hated him for it.”

She sniffs again, then quietly asks, “Do you ever think that could change?”

He shakes his head instantly. “Never,” he says. “I will never forgive him for how he’s treated you. And honestly… I’m having a hard time forgiving you for continuously letting him treat you that way.” She looks away again, and he says, “Because you know better. I know you know better. You just keep getting sucked into his games and I don’t know why.”

“I love him, Kurt,” she says, voice just as snappy as his had been. “I. Love. Him.”

Kurt steps up the final step. “You know he doesn’t love you back, right?” he asks. “Because when you love someone, you don’t treat them like this. You don’t walk in and out of their life. You don’t fuck them over. You don’t come home drunk and scream at them for hours in front of their nine-year-old son. You pay your goddamn child support!”

She takes a step away from him, cheeks streaked with tears. She says nothing, though, lips pressed together.

“I know you know that, mom,” Kurt says. “You’re smart, I know you know he doesn’t love you.” He feels his throat close up. “Why—” he chokes back a sob, tears suddenly springing from his eyes. “Why can’t my love be enough for you?”

“Oh, baby,” she hurries to him, and this time he lets himself be wrapped in his mother’s embrace. He cries into her shoulder and she cries into his, and he doesn’t even care how angry at her he is, all he wants in this moment is to be held by his mother. To be reminded that, even if she will always put Puck before him, she does still hold love in her heart for him.

“I wish I could be enough for you,” he whispers. “I wish you could see how much I love you, mom. How much I’ve always loved you,” he tucks himself closer into her body. “How I’ve always tried to love you enough that you wouldn’t need his love anymore.”

“You don’t have to, honey,” she says, patting his hair like she used to when he was a kid. “You don’t have to love me any more than a son should love his mother. You’re already the most amazing son in the world, you don’t need to try and be more.”

“It never mattered,” he says, her words going in one ear and out the other. “I could never love you enough. You always wanted him, always needed him. I was never enough.”

“Listen to me, Kurt,” she says, pulling him away from her and cupping his face in her hands. “You will always be enough for me.”

“No, I’m not, because if I was you wouldn’t still be with him. You wouldn’t come crawling back to him every time he deigned to show his face. You wouldn’t—”

He freezes, eyes catching on a large white envelope hanging out of Finn and Rachel’s mailbox.

“Holy shit,” he whispers, extracting himself from his mother’s hold and going to it. “Holy shit,” he repeats when he sees the DNA lab’s logo on the envelope.

“Kurt?” his mom asks, but Kurt barely listens. He pulls the envelope out of the mailbox and tears it open. He doesn’t care that he should wait for Finn and Rachel to come back. He needs to know.

Now more than ever, he needs to know.

He pulls the papers out of the envelope and quickly flips through them until he finds the one labelled ‘Noah Puckerman.’. Beneath it is a chart full of whatever the company got from his DNA. Kurt, of course, doesn’t give a shit about that. His eyes go to the bottom of the chart, where in a single column, in bold black letters, six absolutely magical words are printed.

**_No DNA match with Kurt Fabray._ **

“It’s negative,” Kurt breathes. “Oh, my god,” he reads the words again. Then again. “It’s negative.”

He looks up at his mom, tears in his eyes, a grin on his face so wide he could split himself in half.

“It’s negative,” he repeats. “It’s negative! He’s not my father.”

His mom brings a hand to her mouth, a sob escaping her lips. “Kurt…”

“I can’t believe it,” he says, looking back down at the page. “I hoped, I almost _prayed_ for this, and here it is. Right on the page. No DNA match with Kurt Fabray.”

“Kurt,” she tries again, but he doesn’t care.

“Finn’s my dad,” Kurt says, moving Puck’s page to the back of the bunch and revealing the page labelled ‘Finn Hudson’. “After all these years, I can finally—”

He freezes, hands clenching tight around the page as he reads the bottom of Finn’s chart. He reads it again, and again, way more times than he read Puck’s.

He looks up at his mom, who is still concealing her sobs behind a hand. He then looks back down at the page because it can’t be. This can’t be possible, this isn’t happening. Puck isn’t his father, so it has to be Finn, there has to be some kind of mistake.

There isn’t, though. It’s right there, in bold letters, staring up at him the same as moments before.

**_No DNA match with Kurt Fabray_ ** **.**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [rebloggable on tumblr ](http://klaineanummel.tumblr.com/post/179792825355/eighteen-going-on-extinct-1420)


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone is gearing up for an awesome weekend!! Thanks so much for all your comments and likes and kudos and reblogs <3 I’m sorry I’m so shit at answering them all, but know that I read each and every one and that I love them all! 
> 
> Minor warning for Puck basically being Puck here haha hope you enjoy <3

The crumpled paper falls from Finn’s hand. He glances between Kurt, Rachel, and Quinn. He looks like he’s about to cry, and it makes Kurt want to burst into tears all over again.

“I don’t understand,” he says. “It doesn’t make any sense. If Puck isn’t the father, then it has to be me, right? I can’t – this doesn’t make any sense.”

“Yes, it does,” Quinn says, her voice hollow. She doesn’t look up at any of them, picking at a loose thread in her jeans. “I knew that would be the result as soon as Kurt said Puck wasn’t his father.”

“I don’t get it,” Finn says, picking the paper up again. “How? If I’m not the father, and Puck isn’t the father, then who—”

“Burt Hummel,” Kurt says, his voice as hollow as his mother’s.

His mother looks up at him, quick as a whip, her eyes wide and watery.

“That’s it, right?” Kurt asks. “He’s my dad. There’s nobody else it could be. You said you were cheating with Puck and on Puck at the same time, so if it isn’t Finn and it isn’t Puck, then it has to be Burt Hummel.”

His mother’s eyes shut tight and she nods once, the motion clearly painful. “I’m so sorry.”

Kurt stands up, hands going to his stomach. “I think I need to lay down for a while,” he says, stepping away from the sitting adults. “I need to… not be here. For a little bit.”

“Kurt, please,” his mom stands up, too, but Kurt moves fast, heading out of the living room and jogging all the way up to his room. He shuts the door tight, leaning his back against it. He breathes in deeply, then exhales, trying to calm his beating heart.

His phone vibrates in his pocket, and he pulls it out without thinking.

_From: Bowtie Blaine_

_Hey, what happened to texting me on the bus? I had to listen to Santana Lopez talk about lacrosse players throwing up on each other for the entire ride :(_

Kurt locks his phone up, then places it on his side table before falling on his bed face first.

Burt Hummel.

His father is Burt Hummel.

Blaine’s foster father is Kurt’s actual father.

 _At least it isn’t Puck_ , his subconscious whispers. Kurt groans and turns onto his side, slipping under the covers and wrapping them tightly around himself.

If only that made any of this better.

**

It’s hours before Finn knocks on his door, peeking his head in when Kurt says nothing.

“Hey, Kurt,” he says, voice soft. “I, uh. I know this isn’t what either of us wanted, but I want you to know that I meant what I said.” He walks toward Kurt’s bed and settles down in it, placing a hand on Kurt’s calf through the blanket. “You’re my son, okay? I’ve always seen you as my son, and so has Rachel. This test changes nothing.”

“It does, though,” Kurt says, feeling empty. “It changes everything.”

“Not to me,” Finn says. He stands back up, and then, to Kurt’s surprise, leans down and presses a kiss to the top of his head. “Sleep well, okay Kurt?”

“Yeah,” Kurt says, wrapping himself tighter in the blankets. “You, too.”

**

Halfway through the night, Kurt is woken up by the sound of his door opening. He turns over in his bed, sitting up slightly, but stops when a small hand rests on his shoulder and presses him back into the mattress.

“Shh, it’s okay, baby,” Kurt’s eyes are still mostly shut, so he doesn’t see her, but he could swear that was his mom’s voice. Which is weird, because he’s pretty sure that she’d left hours ago. “Go  back to sleep.”

“Mom?” he asks, just to be sure.

Soft lips connect gently with his forehead. He sighs, settling further into the mattress, suddenly feeling all of five years old again.

“I love you,” she whispers into his skin. “And I’m so, so sorry.”

She’s gone before he has the chance to answer, and by the time his door has clicked shut again, he’s already asleep.

**

He almost skips school the next day. He wants nothing more than to skip school. Really, all he wants to do all day is lie in bed, wrapped in blankets, and pretending the rest of the world doesn’t exist.

He can’t keep avoiding his problems, though. His mom made that more than clear the day before. So, he gets out of bed, forces himself to get dressed, and lets Rachel drive him to school.

“I know this must be tough,” Rachel says as they drive. “Not getting the result you were expecting.”

“Tough is one way to put it,” Kurt says, fiddling with his nose ring.

“I’m proud of you for going to school today,” she says. “For, you know. Facing Blaine.”

“Yeah, well, obviously avoiding my problems just makes people force me into a confrontation, so what’s the point.”

She side-eyes him a little, then says, “Well, regardless of your motivation, I still think it’s healthy. The sooner you act like everything is normal, the sooner things will go back to normal.”

“I don’t want to sound dramatic,” Kurt says, letting his head fall against the window, “but I don’t even know what the word normal means anymore.”

“Okay, well, something resembling normal,” she says. “Now that you know Puck isn’t your father—”

“You know, that’s the thing,” Kurt says, sitting back up. “That’s the fucking thing. I had this idea in my head that I would get those results, see Puck wasn’t my father, and he’d just magically vanish from my life. Like, he’d just pack it up and leave, or mom would finally come to her senses and kick him out, but no. He’s still there. He’s still living in my home. So, really, what did it change?” He shakes his head. “Not a fucking thing.”

“That’s not why you did this, Kurt,” Rachel says. “You told us when you asked for us to pay for this that the reason you did it was for peace of mind.”

“Well, I got none, so there you go,” Kurt shakes his head. “Sorry you wasted your money.”

“I’m not,” Rachel says. “The only result that really matters to me is that Puck isn’t your father. As far as I’m concerned, that means Finn is. End of discussion.”

“Except not really, because my actual father is currently fostering the guy I have a massive crush on,” Kurt says. “So, no, not end of discussion. This actually makes things even more goddamn complicated than before. Oh, and bonus fun news, mom still hasn’t told me jack shit about Burt Hummel and their relationship, because she couldn’t even be bothered to come and say goodnight to me before she left last night.”

“That’s because she didn’t leave,” Rachel says.

Kurt turns to her slowly, tilting his head in confusion. “What?”

“She slept on the couch,” Rachel says. “She only left early this morning, to go to her shift. I thought I saw her sneaking in your room to say goodbye, but maybe not.”

“Oh,” Kurt says. A memory slips into his mind, of forehead kisses and soft ‘I love you’s’. “Oh,” he repeats. “I thought I’d dreamt…” He shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter. She still could have said goodnight the night before, not goodbye when I was half asleep.”

 “Yeah, she could have,” Rachel says. She glances at Kurt, then says, “This is hard on her, too, you know.”

Kurt snorts. “Must be devastating finding out the only reason the man you love stays with you is a lie.”

“I don’t think that’s it,” Rachel says. “From what I heard yesterday, I kind of get the idea that she’s always known, she just refused to accept it.”

“That doesn’t make it any better,” Kurt says shortly.

“I know, but still. She’s being forced to confront something she’s lied to herself about for almost eighteen years. Can’t be easy.”

“Well, finding out my father is actually a man I barely know and acting as a father to the guy I want to date hasn’t exactly been a picnic either, so maybe she and I could form a club.”

“I don’t think you’re really being fair to your mother, Kurt,” Rachel says.

“She wasn’t being fair to _me_ ,” Kurt says. “She purposefully never mentioned Burt Hummel to me, and now I’m finding out that she’s always known that man was my father? What sort of bullshit is that?!”

“Hey, that’s just my theory,” Rachel says. “Don’t let me put words in your mother’s mouth.”

“Whatever,” Kurt says. “It’s just all bullshit. I thought that paternity test would make things better, but it’s just made things a thousand times more complicated,” he shakes his head and crosses his arms. “I shouldn’t have asked you to do it.”

Rachel doesn’t answer, and they spend the rest of the drive in silence.

**

Blaine is waiting for Kurt on the steps of the school, and the sight of him makes Kurt’s heart sink.

How can he possibly tell Blaine about all this? How can he go to a boy who has never had a real family, and tell him that the closest thing he’s ever had to a father is actually Kurt’s own dad?

He can practically see the heartbreak on Blaine’s face when he tells him.

Fuck, he can’t. He just can’t.

“Hey,” Blaine greets him with an easy smile, seemingly unaware of Kurt’s terrible mood. “I have good news for you.”

“I could use some of that,” Kurt mumbles. “What is it?”

“Puck’s bike is done!” Blaine says. “Burt says you can come get it after school, if you want. He’ll keep the garage open until six if you need him to.”

“Fuck,” Kurt groans. “I totally forgot about the fucking bike. God, Puck is going to deck me when he sees me.”

“What?!” Blaine practically shouts.

Kurt shakes his head. “Never mind. You’re right, this is good news. Maybe the asshole will finally leave once he has his precious baby back. I’ll just text my mom and tell her to meet me at the garage with Puck sometime before six.”

“Great,” Blaine grins. Kurt really wishes he could steal a bit of Blaine’s good mood. “I’ll tell Burt to keep the shop open.”

“Cool,” Kurt nods.

Christ.

As if things weren’t enough of a goddamn mess.

**

Finn ends up being held up after class, and Rachel has an impromptu but important Skype meeting about _Wicked_ , and so Kurt ends up taking the bus with Blaine to the garage.

“Okay, seriously,” Blaine says as soon as they’re on the bus. “What is your deal today? I’ve been trying to go with a different tactic from the usual calling you out thing, but sheesh. Seems like I shouldn’t mess with what I know, huh?”

“Nothing,” Kurt says. “Just woke up on the wrong side of the bed, I guess.”

“No kidding,” Blaine shakes his head. “I thought you’d be happy about the bike. You know, you don’t owe Puck anything anymore. And when the paternity test comes in, then you really won’t owe him anything.”

“Yeah,” Kurt slumps further in his seat. “When the paternity test comes in,” he frowns. “You know, lately I haven’t had that great of a feeling about it.”

“What? Last I checked you were practically dying to get the results. What the hell happened?!”

“My mom came by last night,” Kurt admits, the one thing he knows he can actually talk to Blaine about. “Confronted me about ignoring her. We had a huge fight.”

“Oh, Kurt,” Blaine puts a hand on his shoulder. “Is that why you’re in such a bad mood?”

 _It feels like nothing compared to what I found out after_. “Yeah.”

“I’m so sorry,” Blaine says. “If I had known…”

“It doesn’t matter. I shouldn’t be letting my bad mood drag you down. I ruined your day.”

Blaine smirks. “You don’t have that much control over my mood, you know.”

“Of course not,” Kurt says. “Fuck, I’m just a fucking moron today,” he lets his head fall back against the bus seat, and groans at how hard his skull hits the metal bar. “Shit,” he grumbles.

“No, I’m – I’m sorry, Kurt. I’m trying to like, alleviate the tension or something, I don’t know. Clearly it’s not working. I promise you didn’t ruin my day though, okay?” He chews on his lip for a moment, then says, “Actually, seeing you could never ruin my day.”

“Stop,” Kurt shakes his head. “I told you, we can’t do that anymore.”

“Because we’re best friends, sheesh, Kurt.”

“You know, you just said ‘sheesh’ unironically twice in a row. You’re officially a prep.”

“I thought I had to be rich to be a prep.”

Kurt smiles, letting himself fall into Blaine’s distraction methods. “You’re not rich? Then what are we even doing here?”

Blaine grins and leans his head on Kurt’s shoulder. “There he is,” he whispers.

“Yeah,” Kurt whispers back. “Here I am.”

**

They get off the bus together, and Kurt lets Blaine lead the way. He groans when they get close enough that he can see his mom and Puck waiting for them outside the garage.

“Christ,” Kurt says. “You’d think knowing this was coming all day long would have prepared me to see him, but no. I still feel like I’m going to throw up.”

“Don’t worry,” Blaine says, slipping his hand into Kurt’s easily. “I won’t let him do anything.”

There are a thousand things Kurt could say to that, ranging from ‘how on earth will you stop him he is quite literally twice your size’ to ‘please never let go of my hand ever,’ but nothing feels right. Instead, he just squeezes Blaine’s hand, takes a deep breath, and puts on the bravest face he can.

“Hey,” he says when he gets close enough. “You didn’t have to wait for me, you know. I already paid for my part.”

His mom looks like she hasn’t slept in days. Puck just glances down at where Kurt and Blaine are holding hands and rolls his eyes.

“Whatever, let’s just get this over with. The less time I have to be around here, the better.”

Burt Hummel is sitting behind the desk when they walk in, and Kurt’s heart jumps in his throat at the sight of him.

That’s his father.

It feels like a punch to the gut. He’s staring at his father. The man standing in front of him is his goddamn father.

And yet all of Kurt’s feelings toward him are still based entirely on the man’s relationship with Blaine.

He feels like he’s stepped outside of his body. Like everything is happening around him, not to him. Like he’s watching himself watch Burt, watching himself trying to feel that connection between them and coming up short.

Like he’s watching himself fall apart.

“Hey guys,” Burt greets Kurt and Blaine first, and then he turns to Kurt’s mom and says, “Quinn Fabray, as I live and breathe.”

He stands up and goes as though to hug her, but Puck gets in his way. “You come any closer, you won’t be doing either of those things.”

Burt raises an eyebrow and looks Puck over. “Noah, right?” he asks. “Charming as ever. Come on, I’ll show you the bike.”

He walks ahead of them. Quinn pulls Puck close and mutters a quiet, “Be nice.”

“Fuck that,” Puck whispers back. “Good for nothing punk. I can tell he still wants to fuck you.”

“Can you please be a fucking adult for one goddamn second of your—”

She’s cut off by Burt arriving with the bike. He starts to rattle off some technical mumbo-jumbo about what he fixed and how he fixed it that goes right over Kurt’s head. He’s focused instead on the way his mother is carrying herself. She’s making a clear effort not to make any bodily contact with Puck, arms wrapped around herself and continuously shifting her weight so she ends up further away from him.

Puck, on the other hand, looks like he could blow a gasket at any moment. Kurt has no idea if it’s because Quinn told him the truth, or because he’s just a jealous ass who still acts like a teenager.

“—including the new parts, it’ll come to about $1,500.”

“Whoa, what?!” Puck shouts, bringing Kurt back to reality. “What the fuck?! $1,500 to replace a couple of panels?!”

“This is a really expensive motorcycle, Mr. Puckerman,” Burt says. “The parts alone cost—”

“That’s insane. No, fuck no. I’m not fucking paying that.”

“Well, Kurt already paid his part, so—”

“So it should be cheaper,” Puck shouts. “You’re seriously telling me this broke asshole paid you $1,500? You think he’s got that kind of money lying around?!”

“Hey,” Quinn says. “Kurt works hard. He worked long hours this summer, and he’s good at saving. The $1,500 probably hurt him more than it’s going to hurt you.”

Kurt’s head is spinning, and he wants to cut in and ask what the _fuck_ is happening, because he didn’t pay $1,500, Puck is right, he never could have paid $1,500, but…

But his mom glances at him and shakes her head. He looks up at Burt and the man sends him a covert wink.

Oh.

“This is bullshit,” Puck says. “You really think I’m just going to fork over almost two grand? No way.”

“Then I’m sorry, but I can’t release the bike back to you.”

“That’s theft, you piece of shit.”

Burt shrugs. “So is you trying to make off with parts that I paid for.”

Puck grumbles to himself, glaring between Burt, Quinn, and Kurt. Kurt is pretty sure that he’s trying to decide whether he should punch Burt in the face.

“You know what?” Puck finally shouts. “Fine. Fine! I’ll pay you your stupid goddamn overpriced—”

“Great,” Burt says. “Right this way.”

Puck ends up having to use three different credit cards to cover the payment. Kurt would love to know how the hell he got three credit cards approved, but decides it’s better not to know, as the answer is probably something illegal.

Puck grumbles under his breath the entire transaction, swearing loudly every time he has to switch a credit card.

Blaine stands beside Kurt the whole time, hand never leaving Kurt’s.

Finally, the payment is completed, and Puck hops on his bike and speeds away. Quinn watches him go, letting out a heavy breath that looks something shockingly similar to relief.

“Well, thank you,” Quinn says to Burt. “For fixing his bike.”

“Hey, no problem. It’s kind of my job.”

“Right,” she nods. “Well, I should go. I doubt he remembered his key, so he’ll probably be wanting to get into the apartment as soon as he gets there.”

Burt nods slowly. “Of course. But, hey, Quinn, I’d love to catch up sometime. You know, since our boys are such good—” he glances over to where Kurt and Blaine are still holding hands. He raises an eyebrow and then says, “Friends.”

“Sure,” Quinn says. “Kurt can give you my number sometime.”

“Or you could just—”

“Okay, I’m going to go,” Quinn says. She turns to Kurt and presses a kiss to his cheek. “Please come home soon,” she whispers. “I miss you so much.”

“I miss you, too,” Kurt says, though keeps mum on the plea of returning. She knows as well as he does that he will not be moving back in to that apartment until Puck is officially moved out.

She kisses his cheek again, then heads to where her car is parked at the front of the garage, getting in without a look back.

“You sure you two are mad at each other?” Blaine asks as she leaves.

Kurt sighs, then replies with, “It’s complicated.” He looks down to his hand, fingers intertwined with Blaine’s. “I should probably go, too.” He says. “I feel so, just… emotionally drained.”

“Don’t blame you,” Burt cuts in, and Kurt turns to him, surprised that he’s still standing there. He’s giving Blaine a strange look, almost considering, but then he turns to Kurt and says, “But hey, before you go, can you answer me one question?” Kurt shrugs, so Burt asks, “How the literal hell is your mother still with that asshole after all these years?”

“Whoa!” Blaine exclaims.

“Oh, like you weren’t thinking it,” Burt replies. Blaine blushes and looks away. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. Seriously, Kurt. Why is she still with him?”

“You know, Burt,” Kurt says, the man’s name feeling so strange on his tongue now. “I legitimately have no idea.”

“Fucking dick,” Burt grumbles, shaking his head. “Guy like that has no reason to hang around a girl like her, taking advantage. Son of a bitch.”

“Calm down there, sailor,” Blaine says.

“Yeah, yeah, I know you hate the swearing,” Burt says. “No idea how you hang around this one so much, then,” he points at Kurt.

Blaine huffs. “That’s different. He’s not my fa—”

He stops himself, entire face turning bright red. Kurt can see a smile beginning to light up Burt’s face, and suddenly feels like he’s imposing on a really private and personal moment between the two men.

“It’s just different, that’s all,” Blaine finishes, face even redder than before.

“Right,” Burt says, full-out grinning now. “I’ll try to keep it in check from now on, okay?”

“Thank you,” Blaine mumbles, looking firmly at the ground.

“Right, well, anyway,” Kurt says, a little too loudly. “I should get going. Finn should be back from school by now, and he’ll want to know every last detail about this shit show.”

“Of course,” Burt says. “Hey, you want a ride? I’m supposed to be closed by now anyway.”

“No, it’s okay,” Kurt says. “Thanks for staying open late for us, though.”

“My pleasure,” Burt says. “I’m just glad you don’t have to worry about this anymore, son.”

Kurt’s heart sinks to the pit of his stomach at that word.

He shouldn’t feel this way, right? Every time Finn had called him son in the past, his heart always leapt in his chest. He felt a joy at hearing that word from Finn, but now with Burt, his actual father…

“Me too,” he replies, hoping not to reveal any of his inner turmoil. “Anyway. I’m going to go.”

Blaine finally lets go of his hand, but only to wrap him up in a hug. “Text me when you get to Finn and Rachel’s, okay?” he asks.

Kurt nods against his neck, then pulls away. “I promise,” he says.

“See you around, kid,” Burt says, patting him on the shoulder.

Kurt heads out at that, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jacket.

Before he leaves the garage, he turns one last time. He doesn’t know what he hopes to see; maybe Blaine staring at him longingly?

Instead what he sees is Burt smiling down at Blaine, a hand on his shoulder, the joy Kurt wishes he felt at seeing Burt shining in his eyes and reflected in Blaine’s.

Despite everything, he smiles. He knows everything is a goddamn mess, but right now he can be happy for Blaine. Right now, he can ignore the fact that his mere existence may ruin whatever budding father-son relationship Burt and Blaine may have. Right now, all that matters is that Blaine looks happier than Kurt thinks he’s ever seen him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [reblogglable on tumblr ](http://klaineanummel.tumblr.com/post/179935037715/eighteen-going-on-extinct-1520)


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe we're entering the final five chapters of this story!! It's so crazy to me how fast this has gone (Which I suppose is what happens when your posting schedule is a fucking mess lmao). 
> 
> Hope you all like this chapter ;) No warnings for this one :)

Finn is home by the time Kurt gets back, and he’s sitting in the living room, very clearly trying to act like he wasn’t waiting for Kurt.

“Hey,” he greets, standing up as soon as Kurt walks in, tossing the paperback novel he’d been reading onto the coffee table. “Everything go okay at the garage?”

Kurt nods at the book. “You didn’t even mark your spot.”

“Oh, oops,” Finn says, shrugging. He comes closer to Kurt. “Seriously, how was the garage?”

Kurt bites down on his lip, then asks, “Can I try something? Nothing weird, just a little experiment.”

“Of course,” Finn says instantly, though he is clearly confused. “You need me to do anything?”

Kurt shakes his head, then takes a step back and looks Finn over. He closes his eyes and thinks to himself _the man in front of you is your father_. He opens his eyes, and his lips tick upward at the confusion written all over Finn’s face.

“Are you okay, Kurt?” Finn asks, voice tinged with concern. “You’re acting kind of strange.”

Kurt’s smile grows, heart warming at Finn’s worry. “Yeah, I guess,” Kurt says. “I was a little messed up after seeing Puck again, and also seeing Burt, but now I’m okay.”

“Alright,” Finn says. “So, what’s this experiment you wanted to do?”

“I did it,” Kurt says.

“Oh,” Finn reels back a little. “And?”

“And I felt way more looking at you and telling myself you’re my father than I did looking at Burt and knowing that he’s my father.”

Finn’s face softens instantly, and he comes forward to wrap Kurt in his arms. “I told you, Kurt,” he says. “ _I’m_ your father, okay? A weird, brother-like father, but your father nevertheless. I’ve always forced myself not to see myself that way, but ever since you asked me about the paternity test it’s just felt like everything fell into place. So, unless you’re really uncomfortable with the idea, then as far as I’m concerned, I’m your father.”

Kurt grins, tucking himself closer to Finn’s body. “I’m not uncomfortable with the idea at all,” he says. His entire body feels warm, and he feels calmer standing in Finn’s arms than he has for a while. “I actually love it.”

“Great,” Finn says. He pulls away and leads Kurt to the couch. They fall onto it together, turning to face each other seamlessly. “So, the garage was a bit of a shit show, then?”

“Oh, god,” Kurt rolls his eyes. “You have no idea.”

**

That night, Kurt tosses and turns, trying to decide what his next step should be.

He keeps going back and forth on whether or not to tell Blaine and Burt about Burt being his biological father. Part of him thinks, _what’s the point_? Finn has assumed all fatherly responsibilities, and Kurt has mothers to spare (at dinner, Rachel had primly informed him that she is now officially his cool step-mother who he gets along with really well), so he isn’t really in the market for more parents. Why bother Burt with it when he doesn’t feel any desire for a father-son relationship between himself and the man? Besides, it really would make things even more complicated than they already are with Blaine.

Still, despite all that, he knows that if he fathered somebody, he would want to be made aware of it, even if the person didn’t expect anything of him. Doesn’t Burt have a right to know that he has a biological son running around the world?

It takes him ages to fall asleep, and even then, by the time he does, he still hasn’t reached a conclusion.

**

He has to bus to school the next morning, meaning he has to get up obscenely early after his obnoxiously late night.

He dicks around on his phone during the bus ride downtown, trying to keep himself from falling asleep. He considers texting his mom to ask her about his dilemma regarding telling Burt about him but isn’t sure if they’re back at the place where he can ask her about stuff like that.

He slumps in his seat. More than anything, that’s what makes him angry. That he and his mom have lost the closeness they’ve always shared.

His phone buzzes as he gets off the bus, and he smiles when he sees Blaine’s name on the screen.

_From: Bowtie Blaine_

_I have a surprise for youuuuu_

He hurries to his connecting bus, showing the driver his pass and slumping into the nearest seat. He texts back as soon as his ass touches the seat.

_To: Bowtie Blaine_

_Color me intrigued. What kind of surprise are we talking about here?_

It barely takes a minute for Blaine to text back.

_From: Bowtie Blaine_

_You’ll seeeeeeeeee_

He chuckles, then switches over to Candy Crush, wasting the rest of the bus ride trying to keep his eyes open and his mind off his troubles.

**

His bus arrives before Blaine’s, and so for once he is the one waiting on the steps of the school for Blaine to arrive. He sits down on one of the steps, leg jiggling up and down, ignoring the annoyed looks people give him when they have to walk around him to get up the stairs. He doesn’t care. Everyone in this school treated him like a laughing stock for weeks. They can fucking walk around him for one day.

Finally, Blaine’s bus pulls up, and Kurt stands up. He catches sight of Blaine almost instantly. The boy is practically glowing as he floats off the bus, sending a cheery wave to the bus driver.

Kurt frowns. Not that Blaine isn’t a more positive person than he is, because he definitely is, but he’s never seen him _this_ positive. His positivity is usually laced with snark or sarcasm, not bursting from within him like he’s the goddamn sun.

Blaine sees Kurt and begins walking toward him with purpose. Kurt walks down the few steps he’d gone up to sit, extending his arms in a giant shrug.

“Hey, so what’s the surprise?” he calls when he knows Blaine is in ear shot. “Did you accidentally get hit with the good mood ray, or something?”

Blaine doesn’t answer him. Instead he marches right up to him, wraps his arms around Kurt’s neck, and pulls him down into the most wonderful kiss Kurt has ever experienced.

For a moment he is too shocked to do anything, but the shock passes soon enough. He wraps his arms around Blaine’s middle and pulls him close, moving his lips softly against Blaine’s, letting him know that his kiss is beyond welcome.

He feels breathless when Blaine pulls away, lips parted and eyes still shut.

“Holy fuck,” he whispers, eyes fluttering open. “Blaine, I—” he stares down at the grinning boy, who is practically bouncing on the heels of his feet, his arms still wrapped around Kurt’s neck. “I don’t understand.”

“I’m not leaving,” Blaine says, eyes shining with joy. “I’m not going to get sent to another foster home, I’m not going to have to change schools again. I’m staying in Lima until I graduate.”

“What?!” Kurt asks, eyes widening, and a smile appearing on his face. “Holy shit, Blaine, how?!”

“Burt’s going to adopt me,” the boy announces, voice full to the brim with happiness. “He told me yesterday that it was his plan all along, but he didn’t want us getting to know each other with the pressure of adoption on the table, so that’s why he was just fostering me for the first few months, but he’s decided that he wants to adopt me. Can you believe it?!”

“Holy shit,” Kurt whispers.

“I know!” Blaine says, grinning and pulling Kurt into a hug. “I mean, I’m almost seventeen. Do you know how unlikely it is to get adopted at this age? I gave up hope of being adopted after I turned eleven!”

“Oh, my god,” Kurt replies, trying to let the happiness he’s feeling come through his words. Because he _is_ happy. He is so goddamn happy. He has never seen anybody as happy as Blaine is right now, and it’s beyond infectious. _And_ , Blaine kissed him. How is he not supposed to be happy about that?!

He’s also worried though, with guilt pooling in his gut.

He’s happy but fuck it all if this doesn’t make things a million times more complicated.

“I just can’t believe it,” Blaine says. “I get a father, and I get a boyfriend, all in one amazing day!”

Kurt squeezes his sides, thoughts flying out his head at the word _boyfriend_. “Well, hey, if you’re getting a boyfriend then what are you doing making out with me?”

Blaine just grins up at him and brings his head down into another kiss, this one even tenderer than the last.

“I’ve wanted to be your boyfriend since the moment I laid eyes on you,” Blaine says. “And it is taking everything in me right now not to just drag you behind the bleachers and make out with you all day long instead of going to class.”

“Well, shit, Blaine, why didn’t you say so? Fuck class, we can go to class any day.”

“I know, but the great thing is that now we can make out any day, too! Because I’m not leaving! I get to stay, I get a _family_. Burt is going to be my _father_ , Kurt!”

Kurt can’t help but smile, even if the words do pull at his gut in an uncomfortable way. “I’m so happy for you, Blaine.”

“Me, too,” Blaine says, bringing Kurt in for yet another kiss. This one is short and quick, but no less amazing than the past two. “I’m so happy for me, too.”

**

Blaine seems to find Kurt during every single break between classes. He kisses him every time, telling him that he’s just making up for lost time.

At lunch, he pulls Kurt into an empty classroom, and makes out with him against the door. Then, he does the same once class lets out, this time grinding his hips a little against Kurt’s and nipping on the skin of his neck.

“Hey, so,” Blaine whispers, voice ragged, “Burt is working late at the garage tonight again. Do you maybe want to come over and watch a movie?”

Kurt laughs. “Are you seriously asking me to Netflix and chill, Blaine?”

Blaine scoffs. “I have more class than that,” he says, pointing his nose up in the air.

“Of course you do,” Kurt says, leaning forward to nip at his lower lip. “Well, either way, I’m in.”

“Great,” Blaine says, pulling him out of the classroom and toward the bus stop.

Of course, the bus is just pulling away when they get outside, and both boys groan.

“Oh well,” Kurt says, wrapping his arms around Blaine from behind and bringing him close. “Looks like we have to wait another half-hour for the next bus. Now, what on earth could we do with that time?”

Blaine cackles, then turns in Kurt’s arms and kisses him again.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [rebloggable on tumblr](http://klaineanummel.tumblr.com/post/179997253465/eighteen-going-on-extinct-1620)


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for this one about vague discussion of past underage and non-explicitly identified dub-con.
> 
> Hope you all enjoy :D I'm hoping to update once more this week :)

The ride to Blaine’s house is absolute torture. Blaine keeps a hand on Kurt’s thigh the entire ride there, every now and then slipping it dangerously close to Kurt’s dick. It’s the absolute best tease, and it makes Kurt’s heart race.

They practically run to Blaine’s house when they get off the bus, tripping over each other once they get in the house. “Shoes,” Blaine whispers as Kurt pushes him against the door, stopping him from kissing the daylights out of him like he wants to. “We should take our shoes off, so we don’t struggle later.”

“Well, aren’t you just full of amazing ideas.”

“I am,” Blaine grins. “You want to hear another one?”

“Always,” Kurt says, kicking his shoes off.

“We go down to my room, and I give you the best blowjob you’ve ever received.”

Kurt groans, pressing their foreheads together. “I love that idea,” he whispers, kissing Blaine lightly. “Can I make one request, though?”

“Of course,” Blaine replies, chasing after Kurt’s lips.

“After you give me the best blowjob I’ve ever received, you have to let me give you the best blowjob you’ve ever received.”

Blaine grins. “Done,” he says, taking Kurt’s hand in his, and leading him down to his room.

**

Kurt doesn’t know what he likes better: the sight of Blaine on his knees in front of him, mouth wrapped perfectly around his cock, or the sight of Blaine staring down at him as Kurt bobs his head up and down his dick.

Kurt barely breathes the entire time Blaine has his cock in his mouth, hand clutching at the back of Blaine’s neck, trying to stop himself from fucking into Blaine’s amazing mouth.

It’s easier to breathe when he’s the one on his knees. He actually really loves giving head, something he only seems to realize as he sinks down around Blaine’s cock. He holds Blaine’s ass tightly in his hands (and _wow_ , he’s definitely going to be paying more attention to that part of him next time) and encourages Blaine to pump in and out lightly. Blaine makes the most amazing sounds he’s ever heard as he fucks Kurt’s mouth. It makes Kurt want to stay down there forever.

Of course, soon enough they’re both sated and spent, cuddling on Blaine’s bed under the covers.

“I’m sorry I made you wait so long for that,” Blaine whispers. “To be honest, I’ve been dying to get your dick in my mouth for weeks.”

“What is with you and your dirty mouth?” Kurt asks, pinching Blaine’s side lightly and making him laugh. “I thought you didn’t like to cuss.”

“I’m full of surprises,” Blaine wiggles his eyebrows, and Kurt grins.

“I can’t wait to find out every single one.”

“I can’t wait for that either,” Blaine says, cuddling closer.

“And by the way, you don’t have to apologize for ‘making me wait,’ or whatever,” Kurt says. “You had a rule in place, and it was in place for a good reason. It’s so much better to get together now, when you know you won’t be moving away at any moment’s notice.”

“You’re so amazing,” Blaine says. “So amazing.”

Kurt pulls Blaine even closer and presses a kiss to his hair, trying to ignore the guilt pooling in his gut once more. “No, Blaine,” he whispers. “You’re the amazing one.”

**

They cuddle until they hear the front door opening, which causes them to jump out of bed and shove their clothes back on in a frantic rush. Thankfully they’re both fully dressed by the time Burt knocks on Blaine’s door to ask him if he’s ready for supper.

“Yeah, for sure,” Blaine calls back. “Just so you know, Kurt is here, so you know. Make sure there’s enough supper for three.”

Burt doesn’t reply for a moment, then says, “Didn’t we have a rule about bringing boys over without telling me?”

Blaine rolls his eyes and calls back, “It’s just Kurt.”

“I know,” Burt says. “Who do you think I meant when I made that rule?”

Blaine blushes, and Kurt laughs.

“Sorry, Mr. Hummel,” Kurt calls, even though it feels weird, so goddamn weird.

“Just get up here, you two. No more shenanigans.”

“There were no shenanigans,” Blaine protests as he and Kurt walk up the stairs.

“Yeah, right,” Burt says as soon as he lays eyes on them. “Nice hickey.” Blaine squeaks and slams his hand over the forming bruise. Kurt chuckles at him until Burt turns to him and calmly says, “Your shirt’s inside-out, bud.”

Kurt squeaks as well, something he didn’t think he was even capable of doing, and quickly takes his shirt off and puts it back on the right way. Burt just shakes his head and heads to the kitchen, calling out, “From now on, your door stays open when Kurt is around.”

“Yes, sir,” Blaine says back, blushing bright red. “Sorry, sir.”

Kurt can hear Burt chuckling, and whispers to Blaine, “I’m glad somebody is getting something good out of this situation.”

Blaine instantly pouts. “Are you saying the blowjob I gave you wasn’t good?”

Before Kurt can reply, they hear Burt shout, “Ha! No shenanigans, my ass,” which just makes Blaine blush harder, and Kurt burst out laughing.

**

Despite the awkwardness from earlier, dinner is absolutely lovely. There is something tugging at Kurt’s stomach the entire time, begging him to blurt out what he knows, but he can’t bring himself to do it. Not when Burt and Blaine’s decision to become a family is so recent. Not when he and Blaine have finally moved beyond mere friendship.

Not when he knows it would ruin the amazing dynamic they all currently have.

Kurt keeps falling in and out of the conversation, often getting distracted by the simple way that Burt and Blaine interact. Sometimes it’s just Blaine that distracts him – after all, he did just have his cock inside of that gorgeous mouth.

Blaine is usually the one who draws him back in, either with a nudge to the shin, or a forceful, “You agree with me, right Kurt?”

Near the end of dinner, though, it’s Burt who draws Kurt out of yet another dazed state, with the simple words, “I just know Lizzie would have loved you.”

He looks up sharply, sees Blaine smiling happily, and blurts, “Is that your wife?”

Burt looks over, surprised. “What?”

“Lizzie,” Kurt says. “Was she your wife?” Blaine is staring at him with wide eyes, so Kurt tries to shrug it off, excusing himself with a nonchalant, “I saw the picture in the living room.”

Much to his surprise, Burt just smiles. “Yeah, that’s Lizzie. She was the love of my life, my other half. She really would have loved Blaine.”

Blaine looks like he wants to get back on that track, but Kurt can’t stop himself. Not now that he knows he could finally be getting somewhere regarding Burt’s mysterious past with Kurt’s mother. “What happened to her?” he asks, probably a little too forcefully. “If you don’t mind me asking,” he quickly adds when Blaine kicks his shin under the table.

“It’s fine, Blaine,” Burt says, smiling softly. “I don’t mind you asking, Kurt,” he continues. He looks Kurt directly in the eye as he says, “She was sick. Cancer. She passed away a year after we got married.”

“Oh, my god,” Blaine whispers. “Burt, I had no idea…”

“Well, you never asked,” Burt teases gently.

“Still,” Blaine puts his hand on Burt’s forearm. “That’s… oh, my god.”

Burt shrugs. “I knew it would happen. She was sick when we got married. Hell, she was sick when we got engaged. I always knew that was how it would end up.”

“Is that why you ended it with my mother?”

You could hear a pin drop. Kurt doesn’t dare look up, not wanting to see the shocked look on Blaine’s face, or the potentially angry look on Burt’s. Still, he can’t regret asking the question. Due to the recent developments in his life, he feels like he needs to know about this, and clearly his mother isn’t going to tell him any time soon.

“So she did tell you,” Burt says after several seconds of silence. “I thought she might have.”

Kurt raises his eyes quickly, then looks away again the second he meets Burt’s eye.

“No, Kurt,” Burt says, voice still soft. “Your mother and I had already ended our affair when I found out Lizzie was sick.”

“So you did cheat on her, then,” Kurt says, eyes raising quickly. “On your wife.”

Burt shakes his head. “She dumped me a few weeks before I met Quinn,” he says. “I found out later that it was because she knew she was sick and didn’t want to put me through it, but at the time I was just angry. It felt like it came out of nowhere. And then Quinn was there, and…” he shakes his head again. “You must really think I’m a creep, huh?”

Kurt pushes his plate a little bit away from himself, for lack of anything else to do. “I mean. She would have been so young, and you’re clearly older than her…”

“I know,” Burt says. “ _That_ was why we ended things. Because she told me she was twenty-one, but I found out she was actually still in high school. I felt…” Kurt looks up in time to see Burt shutting his eyes, face pursed in disgust. “I felt like the worst human being in the world when I found out,” he finishes. “And then I found out Lizzie was sick, and…”

“You don’t have to talk about this,” Blaine says, giving Kurt a hard look. “If it makes you uncomfortable—”

“No, it’s fine, really,” Burt says. “It’s his mom, he deserves to know what happened.”

“His mom can tell him that,” Blaine whispers.

“She isn’t, though,” Kurt says. Blaine looks over at him, still clearly annoyed with the turn the conversation has taken. “She’s refused to tell me ever since I told her I met you. She keeps avoiding the subject or coming up with excuses.” He fiddles with the tablecloth a little. “I’m sorry I brought it up,” he says. “I just needed to know the truth.”

And he does. The truth is so fucking clear to him now that Burt has told him what happened. Keeping Burt a secret from Kurt, insisting that Puck was Kurt’s father, keeping Finn from doing a paternity test… He understands everything now.

“I’m sorry,” Kurt says, standing up. “I, uh. I have to go.”

“Kurt,” Blaine says, standing as well. “You just forced my dad to reveal a deep, dark secret from his past, and you’re just going to bolt?”

Kurt smiles at Blaine’s wording, then glances down at Burt to see him smiling, too.

“Your dad?” Burt asks, voice raspy.

“I—” Blaine flushes. “I mean, yeah, of course you’re my dad,” he says, shuffling his feet. “That’s not – this isn’t the time. Kurt, come on, you can’t just force someone to divulge their past to you and then leave. That’s not how it works.”

“I know,” Kurt says. “I promise, I know, and I’m so sorry, but I really have to go. I have to talk to my mom, like, right now. I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.”

He aims the last apology to Burt, but the man clearly doesn’t hear him, stars still in his eyes as he repeats, “Your dad.”

Kurt walks away from the table at that point, heading to the front of the house to grab his school bag. He glances back after slinging it over his shoulder and opening the door, and smiles at the sight of Blaine and Burt locked in a tight embrace.

The wind is cold, but his heart is warm as he steps out to walk to the bus stop.

He’s finally going home.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [rebloggable on tumblr ](http://klaineanummel.tumblr.com/post/180118163750/eighteen-going-on-extinct-1720)


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everybody :) Sorry it's been so long since I last posted ugh. 
> 
> For this chapter, I'd like to please refer everybody to the tags for this fic, as many of them come into play in this chapter. Be warned.
> 
> I don't usually do this, but I'd really love to hear your thoughts on this particular chapter, so please, if you're still around, leave me a comment with your thoughts!!!! This is my favourite chapter of the fic, and I'd love to hear what you think :) 
> 
> I'm hoping to post the last two chapters of this fic this weekend! Hope you enjoy this chapter :D

As he walks from the bus stop to his apartment, Kurt has the crazy thought that maybe he should buy his mother flowers. That would be a good show of reconciliation, wouldn’t it? Some nice daisies, like Finn would take him out to buy on Mother’s Day.

Of course, it’s past nine, which means any decent flower shop is closed, and it’s Lima Heights, which means there isn’t even a decent flower shop in the area.

Still, he feels empty handed as he turns the key to the building. He wishes he had known he was coming back today. He could have brought something more appealing than simply himself.

The moment he opens the door to the building, all thoughts of flowers fly out the window.

Someone is screaming. Like, really, hardcore screaming. His heart starts to race as he hurries to the stairwell, the screams only getting louder as he climbs the stairs.

He recognizes the screams before he even reaches the second floor, and so he hurries up to the third floor even faster, heart pounding even quicker in his chest.

He may recognize the voice, but he has never heard his mother this angry. Ever.

He pulls the door to the third floor open and is hit by a wall of shouting. There are a couple of neighbours peeking out of their doors, clearly trying to get in on the latest Fabray gossip.

Kurt hurries to the apartment door and is surprised to find it ajar. He pushes in slowly, finally focusing on the actual words his mother is saying.

“Your mistress, Puck,” she is screaming. He can see her standing in the living room in her robe, Puck’s shit spilling out of the bedroom, hands waving wildly above her head. “The fact that it was your goddamn mistress makes it a billion times worse. When did you even have time to sneak off and see her, you asshole?! You haven’t even been here a month, and you’ve already managed to fuck around _and_ knock her up in the process, you absolute moron!”

“I don’t understand what I said that warranted this response,” Puck shouts back. “I keep telling you that I need the money because—”

“Because the garage bill wiped you clean, I _know_ ,” Quinn screams, face so red Kurt is worried it might explode. “But I know why you really want it, because _she_ told me. She came to me and told me the truth, about all of it, so fuck off with your excuses because I’m _done_.”

Puck takes a step back at that. “What?” he asks, voice genuinely surprised. “You can’t – we’re not done, Q, don’t say that. You and I are never done!”

“Yes, we are,” Quinn continues shouting. “We should have been done years ago. Fucking years ago, Puck! The fact that I even gave you the opportunity to fuck me over like this is just—”

“I’m not fucking you over with anything, I told you, I’m broke because your asshole ex-fuck and apparent father of _our_ child robbed me fucking blind with those motorcycle charges. I don’t know why you’re screaming at me about some mistress and—”

“Can you just give it up?!” Quinn literally screams the words, and Kurt winces at the decibel she reaches. “Kitty told me fucking everything. She told me about the affair, she told me about the drinking, and she told me about the fucking abortion.”

“The _what_?!”

“The fucking abortion you’re forcing her to get that you were going to use _my fucking money_ for!”

“Quinn, don’t you see how insane you sound right now? I don’t even know who Kitty is, let alone anything about a goddamn abortion.”

“Yes, you do,” Quinn replies, shoving her finger into his chest. “Yes, you fucking do, because she told me, she fucking _told me_ , that you were going to ask for money because of the bike. She told me you were making it sound cool, like oh, no big deal, I’ll just ask my goddamn girlfriend to pay for my mistress’s abortion because she’d drink the piss out of my dick if I asked her to!”

 “Quinn—”

“And by the way,” she continues, face only getting redder, “Don’t you ever refer to Kurt as _our_ child again, okay? He’s _my_ child. He’s my fucking child, not yours, and I may have fucking ruined my relationship with him over you. You and your fucking lie that I fucking knew about, that he fucking warned me about, but I refused to let myself see because I fucking loved you so goddamn much.”

“I love you, too,” Puck hurries to say, but Quinn pushes him back forcefully.

“Shut up!” She screams. “Shut the fuck up and get the fuck out. I never want to see your face again, you ungrateful scumbag. You absolute piece of shit. Get the fuck out of here!”

Kurt hurries out of the apartment, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire just yet. The moment he is out, clothing starts to fly behind him, all of Puck’s shit getting shoved into the hall slowly but surely.

He steps just slightly out of the way, so that neither Quinn or Puck will be able to see him, even if they walk out.

“Come on, baby, let’s talk about this,” he hears Puck say. “You’re totally overreacting. Why can’t we just calm down and talk about this like rational adults?”

“Because rational adults don’t fucking impregnate girls behind their girlfriend’s back and then ask their girlfriend for money for the abortion, you fucking asshole!”

“I told you—”

“Stop lying to me!” Quinn shrieks. “Stop lying to me, that’s all you do, you lie. You lie, and you lie, and you fucking lie and I’m _done_. I’m tired of it, I’m sick of your shit, and I never want to see your disgusting face ever again!”

“This is because of Kurt, isn’t it?” Puck growls. “I know it is. I know you saw him when you found out the paternity results. I know you were with him. I know he’s been whispering in your ear, trying to break us apart. That little snot monster just got in your head, babe, we just need to—”

“Don’t ever speak about him like that again,” Quinn shouts. “Actually, don’t ever speak of him again. Ever. If I even hear a whiff from California that you so much as uttered his name, I will hunt you down and cut your goddamn dick off. Don’t ever talk about my son again.”

“Our son, Quinn!”

“No! No, no, no,” boots fly out of the apartment, followed by a giant suitcase. “My son. My. Goddamn. Son. He is not yours, he is not Finn’s, he is not Burt’s, he is _mine_.” Shirts follow quickly. “And if you ever come near me or him again, I will not hesitate to call the police.”

“This is insane!” Puck says. “You’re insane!”

“Yeah,” Quinn shouts back. “Insane for wasting so much of my goddamn life on you. Insane for risking my relationship with my son because of you. Now get the fuck _out_.”

Puck stumbles out of the apartment, almost falling back on the suitcase lying on the floor.

His face is bright red as well now, and he clenches his fists tight.

“Fine!” he shouts. “I’ll get out of your life, you disgusting bitch. Like I’d actually want to spend my life with a _whore_ like you any—”

“Hey!” Kurt shouts, no longer able to keep silent.

Puck’s face hardens as he turns slowly to look at Kurt. “You,” he hisses.

“You don’t talk to her that way,” Kurt replies, blood rushing hot through his veins. “You never, ever, fucking _ever_ talk to her like that. Do you understand me?”

“ _You_ ,” Puck shouts. “You have ruined my goddamn life from the moment I stepped foot in this town. You did this.”

“Stay away from him,” Quinn shouts, appearing in the doorway.

“You don’t ever talk to her like that,” Kurt says, standing his ground.

Puck shakes his head and takes a step toward Kurt. “Oh, I’m going to enjoy this. I have been wanting to do this since the moment I saw your disgusting little face my first day here.”

Kurt barely has a moment to realize what’s happening before Puck pulls his fist back and punches him in the eye.

He stumbles back, pain flooding through his face. “Holy fuck!” he shouts.

“Don’t tell me how to talk to my bitch, you punk,” Puck shouts, and then punches him again. He can feel him breaking skin this time, at the same time as he feels himself falling to the ground.

“I’ve called the police,” a neighbour says, her voice like a distant bell. “They’ll be arriving any minute.”

Puck swears under his breath, and Kurt can hear him quickly packing his clothing. Soft hands are suddenly on his face, and he manages to open one eye enough to see his mother standing above him, glaring at Puck in a way he’s surprised doesn’t eviscerate him.

“Fuck you, Quinn,” he hears Puck shout. “Fuck you and your asshole of a kid, too. I hope you both rot in hell.”

“If you ever come near us again I will file for a restraining order, you fucking asshole,” Quinn shouts back. “Get the fuck away from me and my son.”

Kurt doesn’t know if Puck responds, only that he can hear wheels retreating and can feel his mother and a couple other hands trying to get him back on his feet.

As soon as he’s standing his mother pulls him into a hug, so tight it nearly knocks the breath out of him.

“I’m so sorry, Kurt,” she says, voice hoarse. He can feel tears on his back. He tries to hug her back, but his body doesn’t seem to be responding to anything he does at the moment. “I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you. I’m sorry I let him come between us. I’m just… I’m so fucking sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Kurt says, trying to hug her back. “It’s okay, mom.”

“It’s not,” she replies. “It’s not, but I promise that it will never happen again.” She cups his face with her hands, and he can almost see her clearly when he stares at her directly. “I will never let myself forget that you are the most important person in my life again.”

Tears sting at his eyes, and it burns so goddamn much. “Please don’t make me cry right now,” he whimpers.

“Come on, baby,” she whispers. “Let’s get inside.”

“Quinn, do you need anything?” one of neighbours asks.

He can feel his mother shaking her head against his shoulder. “Thank you, Maureen, but no,” she says, pulling Kurt closer to her than before. “I have the only thing I’ll ever need right here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [rebloggable on tumblr ](http://klaineanummel.tumblr.com/post/180395381425/eighteen-going-on-extinct-1820)


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry this is coming so much later than I promise. I seriously underestimated how much work I’d have to do this weekend. Sorry!! But anyway, here it is, the penultimate chapter (technically the last chapter, as the last chapter is really an epilogue)!! 
> 
> A major thanks goes to mailroomorder for this chapter. It used to be majorly different, and she made some amazing suggestions and basically encouraged me to make it way, way, way better. So thank you babe, I love you <3 <3 <3
> 
> I have some very emotional things to say when I post the last chapter, but until then, I hope you enjoy <3

Kurt and his mom stay up talking almost all night, his mom fussing over him icing his eye way too much, secretly making Kurt the happiest boy on earth. It’s 5AM before they realize it, and Quinn calls the bakery to inform the overnight manager that she won’t be in at 6AM, or for the next few days. Then, she and Kurt fall asleep cuddled together on the couch. Kurt’s eye won’t stop throbbing, but he is so goddamn happy at where he is that he can almost ignore it.

They wake up around noon, ice Kurt’s eye some more, and then order a pizza for lunch, even if it really isn’t in the budget.

As they eat, his mom asks him why he came back last night. She looks apprehensive, and then follows it up with the clarifying question, “I mean, you couldn’t have known what was going to happen between Puck and me.”

Kurt admits that no, he didn’t have the slightest clue that that would happen, but that he had been willing to put up with Puck’s presence to tell her that he knew the truth. He knew why she lied, to him and to herself, about Puck being his father, and why she kept Burt a secret from him for so long. He tells her about how Burt told him about his sick wife, and how they got engaged shortly after he and Quinn ended things.

Quinn shifts uncomfortably in her chair, and says, “I already felt so bad. Not only had I lied to someone to get him to sleep with me, but in doing so I’d also slept with the man a sick woman was in love with? I felt like the worst human being in the world,” she bit into a slice and chewed it thoughtfully. After swallowing, she continued, “I couldn’t ruin what could have been the last few months of her life by telling her that hey, her soon-to-be husband may have fathered a child with a senior in high school.”

Kurt looks down at his slice and quietly says, “They were. The last months of her life, I mean.” Quinn looks up, eyes wide and wet. “She died within a year of them marrying.”

“Oh, my god,” she says, hand coming up to her mouth. “I had no idea. I – He was wearing a ring when we went to the garage.”

“I get the feeling that he still isn’t really over it,” Kurt says. “Though, I’m hoping that adopting Blaine will help him with that.”

His mother’s eyebrows shoot up. “Um, excuse me, what?”

“Right, I forgot that I didn’t tell you about that. Yeah, so, as if things couldn’t get more complicated, my boyfriend is being adopted by my biological father.”

“Okay, hold on,” she puts her hands up. “First of all – boyfriend? When did that happen?”

Kurt smiles. “Yesterday,” he says. “He just walked up to me in the morning and kissed me. We haven’t really gone on a date yet, but I’m assuming he wants to be boyfriends since he refused to date me when he didn’t know how permanent his stay in Lima would be.”

“I see,” Quinn says. “But the reason he is dating you now is because Burt is adopting him?”

“And he likes me,” Kurt says, frowning a little.

“Obviously,” she replies. She chews on her bottom lip, then asks, “Did you tell them?”

Kurt shakes his head. “I don’t really know that I should. I mean, what if it messes things up for Blaine? What if Burt decides he wants to get to know me as a son before adopting Blaine?” He sighs. “Besides, Finn is my dad. Or, the closest thing to a dad I’ll ever have, at least. I don’t really need Burt for that, so why bother stirring the pot?”

Quinn raises one eyebrow at him, then says, “Look, Kurt, as someone who has used the keeping of the truth as a work-around to lying to people, let me just tell you that this shit always comes out. Right now, you have the opportunity to control how that happens. We both know that that isn’t always the case.”

Kurt nods, then takes a bite of his pizza, chewing it thoughtfully. He swallows, then smiles at her. “I missed you, mom.”

“Aw,” she reaches across the table to grab his hand. “I missed you, too, honey.”

**

Kurt and his mom have just settled in to watch a movie when his phone rings. He plans to ignore it but changes his mind when he catches sight of who is calling him.

He quietly asks his mom to pause the movie before heading to his bedroom and answering with a soft, “Hey.”

“Are you okay?” Blaine asks. “You weren’t at school today.”

Kurt glances at the old alarm clock on his nightstand and realizes that, oh, school had already ended for the day. “I know, sorry. I skipped.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Blaine asks. “Did something happen? Is it because I was so annoyed at you last night about what happened with Burt?”

“No, nothing like that,” Kurt says. “I mean, something did happen, but it was nothing to do with you.”

“You sure? Because, like, I’m still a little annoyed, but I’m not mad at you or anything. I’m sure you have a valid explanation for how the evening went down.”

“I do,” Kurt says. “It’s a bit of a long story, though.”

“What’s your address?” Blaine blurts.

Kurt frowns. “What?”

“Your address. I know you’re a few bus stops down from me, but I don’t know exactly where you live. If it’s a long story, I want to be there in person for it.”

Kurt chews on his lip for a moment, then tells Blaine his address. Blaine thanks him, promises to see him soon, and hangs up.

He heads back out into the living room and finds his mother smirking at him from the couch. “Blaine coming over?”

Kurt blushes a little. “Maybe,” he says, sitting down next to her.

“Any particular reason for it?” She asks, wiggling her eyebrows.

Kurt shrugs and leans in close to her. “I’ve decided to control how the truth comes out.”

**

They decide against the movie, instead sitting together on the couch until Blaine arrives. He rings the apartment building’s buzzer four times in a row, which makes Kurt chuckle despite the conversation he knows is coming. He lets Blaine in and opens his apartment door, waiting for Blaine to arrive.

The minute Blaine sees him peeking out of the door, he hurries down the hall and grabs his face in his hands. “God, _Kurt_ ,” he says, tilting Kurt’s face downward to get a better look at his bruise. “What happened?!”

Kurt rolls his eyes. “Just the man who believed he was my father for eighteen years finally letting his rage get the best of him.” Blaine opens his mouth to reply, but Kurt cuts him off. “It’s a long story. Come in?”

Blaine nods and takes Kurt’s hand as they enter Kurt’s apartment. Quinn is standing up in the living room, smiling softly in greeting. “You must be Blaine,” she says. “I’m Kurt’s mother.”

Blaine eyes her wearily, clearly thinking of Kurt’s recent rants on her behaviour. “Yes, I’m Blaine,” he says, though he doesn’t extend a hand in greeting. Quinn presses her lips together, her smile falling.

“I’ll let you two talk, okay?” she says, walking to her bedroom, arms wrapping around her middle as she goes. “Let me know if you need anything, though.”

“Of course, mom,” Kurt says, leading Blaine to his own bedroom. Blaine stares back at her for a moment, clearly confused, then lets himself be pulled where Kurt leads him.

They sit on Kurt’s bed, Blaine’s brow still furrowed in confusion. “I don’t get it,” he says. “Did you fix things with your mom?”

“Kind of,” Kurt says, then launches into his story of the previous day. Blaine listens attentively, gasping at all the right parts, and grabbing Kurt’s hand tighter when Kurt gets to the part where Puck punched him. By the time he’s done, Blaine is shaking his head, eyes wide and sympathetic.

“God,” he breathes out. “I’m so sorry that happened, Kurt.”

“I’m not,” Kurt admits. “If it hadn’t, Puck might still be lurking around, ruining my mother’s life.”

Blaine bites down on his lip, then carefully asks, “And you’re absolutely sure that he’s gone for good this time?”

“I am,” Kurt says. “Mom promised that if he tried to show his face again she’d call the police. He’d be an idiot to try and come back, especially after fucking up my face like this.”

Blaine looks down at their linked hands, then says, “I have one more question.”

Kurt takes a deep breath, then says, “I thought you might.”

Blaine meets his eye. “You implied earlier that Puck knows he isn’t your father. Does that mean you got your paternity test back?”

Kurt nods. “I did.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Blaine’s eyes are wide and hurt, lips slightly parted, and it hurts.

Though not as much as what he’s going to tell Blaine next.

“Because it turns out that Finn isn’t my father either.”

“What?” Blaine asks, head tilting slightly. “But, how—”

“Burt,” Kurt blurts, before he can lose his confidence. “It’s Burt.” He looks down at their hands and whispers. “I’m so sorry.”

Blaine is silent for what feels like forever, hands clenching Kurt’s tightly, though Kurt isn’t sure if it’s in anger or grief.

“So,” he eventually begins. “What you’re saying is that the man who wants to adopt me is… your father?”

“Yeah,” Kurt murmurs. “I’m sorry, Blaine. I swear, I didn’t want it to be this way. I wanted it to be Finn, you know I did, but—”

“How is that even possible? I know you said they went out, but… Burt said it was only for a few weeks!”

“Apparently that’s all it took,” Kurt shrugs. “My mom didn’t tell anyone because of his wife and her illness. She didn’t know she’d passed, so she kept the secret all these years. She convinced everyone, and herself, that my dad was Puck because it just made it easier.”

“Wow,” Blaine whispers, hands still clutching Kurt’s tightly. “I don’t even know what to say.”

Kurt clutches back, quickly saying, “We don’t have to tell Burt.”

Blaine guffaws, eyes widening, looking at Kurt like he’s insane. “What the hell are you talking about? Of course we have to tell Burt!”

“I don’t need him to be my dad, Blaine. I don’t _want_ him to be my dad. He’s your dad, not mine, and I don’t want to fuck that up.”

“Kurt,” Blaine says, shaking his head. “Do you really think I could live my life knowing my father has an actual son out there? A son that I am freaking _dating_?! What if knowing about you makes him change his mind about adopting me?” He continues shaking his head. “I couldn’t live with myself if I kept this from him. He has to know; for his sake, and for mine.”

“But what if—”

“That’s why we have to tell him, Kurt,” he says. “Because if we don’t, that ‘what if’ will haunt me for the rest of my life. I’m so,” he closes his eyes. “I’m so close to having a family. For the first time in my life, I feel complete. Keeping this from Burt would ruin that. I’m sorry, Kurt, but we have to tell him.”

Kurt swallows thickly, but nods. “Okay,” he says. “If you think that’s what’s best, then okay. We’ll tell him.”

“Good,” Blaine says. “Thank you for understanding.”

“Of course,” Kurt says. Blaine opens his eyes, then leans forward and kisses Kurt gently on the lips, mindful of his injuries.

When they part, he says, “Okay, let’s go.”

He stands up, letting go of Kurt’s hand, and Kurt reels back. “What, now?”

“No time like the present, right?”

Kurt licks his lips, then sighs and stands up. “Let me ask my mom, first,” he says. “I think I need her there, too.”

Blaine nods. “I get that,” he says. “I’ll wait in the living room.”

Kurt nods as well, then heads out into the living room, Blaine on his heels, and then knocks on his mom’s door.

“Yes?” she calls. He cracks the door open and sees her lying on her bed, phone in hand.

“Hey, Blaine and I are going to go tell Burt that he’s my father. Can you come with us?”

She stares at him for a moment, clearly taken aback, then slowly smiles and nods.

“Of course, baby,” she says, sitting up and slipping her phone into her pocket. “Of course.”

**

The drive to Burt and Blaine’s house is short, but tense. Kurt can’t stop bobbing his leg up and down, and Blaine is chewing on his nails. Kurt’s never seen him do that before.

He hates how much is riding on this. He hates that a stupid mistake his mom and Burt made eighteen years ago could potentially cause Blaine a world of heartache. Kurt doesn’t know that he’d ever forgive himself if this ruins Blaine’s chance of having a family.

Still, he reminds himself that Blaine is the one who wants this. He’s not just doing this to potentially fuck with Blaine’s future; Blaine clearly feels strongly about it.

He’s doing this for Blaine.

They park at the side of the road and head in together, Kurt’s heart pounding in his chest.

“Won’t he be at the garage still?” Kurt asks, glancing at Blaine’s front door anxiously.

Blaine shakes his head. “It’s his day off.”

“Right,” Kurt mumbles. His mother slips her hand into his and gives it a tight squeeze. He smiles up at her in thanks, though still feels anxiety running through his veins.

Blaine unlocks the door and pushes it open, calling out, “Burt?”

“Hey, bud,” Burt’s voice rings out. “You’re back from Kurt’s soon.”

He appears in the living room, eyes widening when he sees Kurt and Quinn standing with Blaine.

“Holy shit, Kurt!” He hurries over, hands falling gently to Kurt’s shoulders as he takes him in. “What…?” He glances between the three of them. “What the hell happened to you?”

“It’s a long story,” Kurt mumbles. Burt tucks two fingers under his chin and tilts his head up, looking over his face.

“It’s actually part of why we’re here,” Blaine says. “Kurt and Quinn have something they need to tell you.”

“Okay, well, hold on a moment. I think I still have some Arnica in my bathroom cupboard.” He walks away quickly, disappearing down the hallway. Kurt glances up at his mom, who smiles encouragingly. Blaine steps closer and intertwines their fingers.

Burt reappears less than a minute later, holding a small tube of the lotion. “Here,” he hands it to Kurt. “Take it with you. Two times a day, at least. If anything, it should help relieve some of the pain.”

“Thanks,” Kurt smiles. He glances behind Burt to the living room, then asks, “Can we sit?”

“Of course,” Burt steps aside, allowing them to enter the house. He settles himself on the recliner, while Kurt, Blaine, and Quinn settle on the couch, Kurt sandwiched between the two. Once they’re all sitting, Burt asks, “Is this because of what I told you yesterday, Kurt? Quinn,” Burt looks to her. “I’m so sorry if you felt I crossed a line. After Kurt left I realized that maybe you hadn’t told him about our past for a reason. It wasn’t my place.”

Quinn shakes her head. “You’ve done nothing wrong, Burt. I… I’m the one who should be apologizing. For quite a few things.” She ducks her head, and Kurt can see that there are tears forming in her eyes.

“This isn’t really about that,” Kurt says, squeezing her hand tightly. “Well, it kind of is, but not… God, this is so much harder than I thought it would be.”

Blaine’s hand comes down to his thigh, squeezing it just as tightly as Kurt is squeezing his mother’s hand. Their eyes meet, and Blaine mouths, “You can do this.”

Kurt takes a deep breath, then looks up at Burt and says, “You’re my father.”

You could hear a pin drop. Burt’s eyes are saucers, flicking from Kurt, to Blaine, back to Kurt, to Quinn. His shoulders shake as he takes in a deep breath, and his lips part slightly, then close again. Kurt can see his Adam’s apple bob as he swallows, eyes still flying over the three people sitting across from him on the couch.

“Your father?” He finally asks, voice shaky. When Kurt nods, he continues with, “What… How? I don’t…”

“I’m sorry, Burt,” Quinn says, voice wobbly and full of tears. “I’m so, so sorry. I never expect this would happen, and I never wanted to involve you because of Elizabeth, but…” She looks up at him, tears streaming down her face. “But yes, Kurt is your son.”

Burt licks his lips, then brings a hand up to rub over his head, taking his baseball cap off before doing so. “All these years…” he mumbles. He stares off into the distance for a few moments, and Kurt can feel Blaine shifting next to him.

“This doesn’t have to change anything,” Kurt quickly says. “Really, I mean, Finn has already agreed to be my father, and he kind of already has been for my whole life, and I have Rachel, too, and my mom. And I know you’re about to adopt Blaine, so I don’t want to get in the way of that, I don’t, so I just—”

Burt puts his hand up, and Kurt stops his rambling, pressing his lips together tightly. He meets Kurt’s gaze, holding it for a moment, then says, “Blaine, Quinn, do you mind if I speak to Kurt privately for a moment?”

Quinn nods, standing up slowly. Blaine, if possible, is even slower in leaving, holding onto Kurt’s thigh tightly until the very last moment. When he does finally stand up, Quinn immediately goes to him and wraps an arm around his shoulders, beginning to guide him out of the living room. Blaine’s shoulders tighten at the contact, but he doesn’t shrug her off. Instead, he quietly says, “We can wait down in my room,” and starts to walk with more purpose.

Burt and Kurt remain silent as they leave. When the door to Blaine’s room shuts, Kurt expects Burt to break the silence, but instead it remains. Burt is just watching him, eyes slightly narrowed, brow furrowed, as though Kurt is a puzzle he can’t quite figure out.

Finally, after far too long a silence, Burt asks, “Who did that to your face?”

Kurt’s eyes widen. “What?”

Burt gestures to the bruising on Kurt’s eye. “Who did that to you?”

Kurt licks his lips, then quietly says, “Puck.”

“Puck?” Burt’s hands clench into fists on his lap. “The guy whose bike you were forced to pay for? Your mom’s boyfriend?”

“Ex-boyfriend,” Kurt says, and despite the tension in the room, he still feels relief at the word. “Everything sort of fell apart yesterday.”

Burt nods, slowly. Then he asks, “And what does that have to do with my being your father?”

Kurt sighs. “Well, I mean. My mom always said that he was my dad, but we’ve never gotten along. He’s tried, or at least Mom claims he’s tried, but he always seemed to give up after I’d give him a tiny bit of resistance. Then he found out I wasn’t his son, and, well… I guess there was nothing stopping him from beating the shit out of me.”

Burt exhales deeply, eyes shutting as he does. “Okay, I just want to make sure I have the full picture, so bear with me. You’re telling me that the man you’ve spent almost eighteen years thinking was your father found out he _wasn’t_ and punched you in the face. And now you’re here to tell me that I _am_ , but that you don’t want anything to change.”

Kurt bites his bottom lip, then nods. “Uh, yes. That’s right.”

“Because of this other guy, Finn, who has been acting like your dad?”

“He’s been more like a big brother, but after the test results came in saying he wasn’t my dad, he said he wanted to be him anyway. My dad, that is.”

Burt nods, then rubs his hands over his knees. “Is he a good man?”

“Finn?” Kurt clarifies.

“Yeah. Is he… the type to do stuff like this?” He gestures to Kurt’s face again.

“No, never!” Kurt says instantly. “He’s the one I always went to when shit got out of hand with Puck. He and his wife, they’re good people. They’ve always been there for me.”

Burt nods again, then takes another deep breath. “So, because you have them, you don’t want me to act like a dad to you?”

“I…” Kurt shrugs, looking down at his lap. “It’s not anything to do with you,” he says quietly, not wanting to offend the man. “I’ve just known Finn and Rachel my whole life, and I’ve only just met you.” He swallows thickly, then, a little louder, says, “Plus, there’s Blaine.”

Burt frowns. “What about Blaine?”

“I don’t want this to change your plans with Blaine. Like, suddenly you have a biological son, so now you have no need to adopt him.” He looks up, meeting Burt’s eye cautiously. “Blaine needs this. He needs you. After the life he’s had, he deserves a father who will love him. I don’t want to get in the way of that.”

By the time he’s finished talking, Burt’s frown has been replaced with a gentle smile. He chuckles, shaking his head a bit, then says, “You know, I should really be offended that you think so little of me, but it’s hard to be when your heart is in the right place.”

“Sorry?” Kurt asks.

“This could never change my desire to adopt Blaine,” Burt says, leaning forward slightly. “That kid… he couldn’t be more mine if I’d birthed him myself. We get each other, him and me.”

“So you’re… you’re still going to adopt him?”

“Course,” Burt says, straightening up. “Not adopting him isn’t an option. That’s my kid we’re talking about here.” His smile widens a bit. “Just turns out that now you’re my kid, too.”

“I really don’t want to be a bother. Like I said—”

“Kurt,” Burt stops him, holding his hand up again. “You’re dating my boy, so we’re going to see each other a lot anyway. Blaine obviously really likes you, and I do, too. If things go well, you’ll be part of the family eventually anyway. Way I see it, this just speeds it up a bit.”

Kurt nods, feeling tears forming in his eyes. He licks his lips, then says, “But, you…” He clears his throat. “The other day, at the garage, when I was looking at you and thinking ‘that’s my father’, I didn’t feel anything. When I look at Finn and think the same thing, I do.”

Burt laughs. “Kurt, you’re really trying to offend me here, aren’t you?” A couple more laughs leave his lips, and then he says, “A parental connection isn’t innate based on biology. Yeah, I’m your bio dad, but we barely know each other. So far, all you really know me as is Blaine’s dad, and that guy who dated your mother all those years ago. Why would that change just because you know some of my DNA is swimming around your body?”

Kurt’s face scrunches up. “Gross.”

“Yeah, don’t know why I said that,” Burt shakes his head. “Kurt, I’m not trying to tell you that this Finn guy can’t be your dad. I’m trying to say that maybe, after spending eighteen years thinking a guy who punched you at the first chance he could was your father, it may not be the worst thing to have more than one man who cares about you in your life.”

The tears in Kurt’s eyes finally break, trailing down his cheek gently. He sniffs and wipes them away, then smiles, stands up, and walks over to Burt to wrap him up in the biggest hug he can manage.

Burt chuckles as he does, pulling him in close. Kurt continues to sniff, embarrassed by how quickly he’s fallen apart because of this. Burt just holds him closer, though, rubbing his hand up and down Kurt’s back reassuringly.

“So, that sounds good to you, then?” Burt asks. “You okay with having two dads?”

Kurt wipes under his eyes as he pulls away from the man. “Seems only right, since Rachel is already kind of like a second mom.”

Burt grins. “I can’t wait to meet these Finn and Rachel people. They seem like really upstanding folk.”

“You’re going to love them,” Kurt promises. He sniffs a little more, then sits back down on the couch. “So, what’s, uh. What’s next?” When Burt just stares at him, confused, Kurt asks, “I mean, what do we do now? Get-to-know-you coffee dates?”

Burt snorts. “I think I’ll leave any date-type activities to you and Blaine, huh?” Kurt smiles and nods at that. “Why don’t we just take it slow. Get to know each other naturally. I don’t want to force it.”

Kurt nods again. “Yeah, that… that sounds like a plan.” They smile at each other for a few seconds, and then Kurt says, “We should probably call Blaine and my mom back in here. Blaine’s probably losing his mind.”

Burt sighs a little at that. “Was he really worried that I’d drop him as soon as I found out about you?” He seems far more hurt by that than any of the things that Kurt has said to him so far.

Kurt shrugs. “He’s been hurt a lot. I don’t think his worry is necessarily a reflection on you.”

Burt nods, then stands up and heads to Blaine’s room, knocking on the door lightly. “You two can come back out now.”

Blaine and Kurt’s mom appear in the doorway almost immediately, and Blaine launches himself at Burt, hugging him close. “I’m sorry,” he says. “I know it was private, and I swear I didn’t listen to it all, but I had just come up to see if you guys were winding down, and—”

“It’s okay, bud,” Burt hugs him back. “I ain’t mad.” He steps a bit away from the door, letting Quinn walk out into the hallway. Kurt stands up, heading over to join them. Burt pulls away from Blaine slightly, though he keeps his hands on his shoulders. He leans down so that he and Blaine are face to face. “Blaine,” he says, voice lower. “You’re my son, okay? No matter what. Not just from when I sign the adoption papers, but ever since you stepped foot in this house. I don’t care if I find out I’ve got a dozen illegitimate sons, you’re still my boy. Forever.”

Blaine springs forward and hugs him again, and Burt hugs him just as intensely, going so far as to lift him off the ground. Kurt reaches his mom, who is smiling as she watches Burt and Blaine hug. He wraps his arm around her side, and she turns to him and says, “That’s quite a boyfriend you’ve found.” She nods towards Blaine, who is laughing at something Burt just whispered to him. “I can tell he likes you a lot.”

“Yeah, he’s… he’s great.” Kurt looks down at her, then, and says, “I swear he’ll warm up to you. I’ve… maybe not been that kind in what I’ve been telling him about you lately.”

She shakes her head. “I deserved it. And I understand.” She wraps her own arm around Kurt, and runs her hand up and down his arms. “I’m going to win him over, just like I’m going to win you back.”

Kurt shakes his head. “You don’t have to win me back, Mom. Never.”

She squeezes him tighter. They both look back to Burt and Blaine, who are still talking quietly, just as close as before. “I’m assuming things went okay up here, then?” She asks, looking up at him with a smile.

Kurt nods, then leans down and presses a kiss to her temple. He leans his face against hers after, warmth filling him as he feels her sigh in relief at the action. With a soft smile, he whispers, “Things went perfect.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [rebloggable on tumblr ](http://klaineanummel.tumblr.com/post/180562076740/eighteen-going-on-extinct-1920)


	20. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe we've reached the end of this fic!
> 
> I want to give a million thanks to my wonderful beta mailroomorder, who helped me so much with this at every step of the way. I don't know what I would do without you, darling. Thank you so, so much <3
> 
> I also want to thank every single one of you for your amazing and encouraging comments. I love you so much, and I'm so thankful for you all for still sticking around to read these fics, even so long after Glee has ended. You're all incredible <3
> 
> I hope you enjoy this final chapter/epilogue, and I hope I will see you all soon (I mean, klaineadvent does start tomorrow hehe)

Halfway through Kurt’s final year of high school, Burt comes up with the idea to have Friday night dinners. Originally, he means it as a way to strengthen the relationship between himself and Blaine with Kurt and Quinn. Soon enough, though, Kurt asks if Finn and Rachel can be included as well, and before they know it Friday night dinners are a staple in all of their lives.

It takes about a month before things stop being awkward between Quinn and Finn and Rachel. Finn also seems a little cautious about Burt at first, which he later admits was due to misconceptions about the man based on some of Puck’s past drunken ramblings.

By the time Kurt graduates, though, the six of them fit together like puzzle pieces. He jokingly tells Blaine once that it’s now their moral obligation to get married, since otherwise it would break the amazing family dynamic they have all fallen into.

Blaine smiles up at him, kisses him, and tells him that he has no problem with that.

Despite a deep desire to leave Lima as soon as he has his diploma, a lack of ambition or knowledge of future steps stops Kurt. Well, that, and the fact that he isn’t really excited about leaving Blaine behind.

After spending two weeks working full-time at Wendy’s, Kurt begs Burt for a job at the garage. Burt is happy to oblige, letting Kurt take over the desk duties at the shop. This soon evolves into Kurt doing a bit of filing for him, which eventually becomes Kurt doing almost all of the administration for the place. After a few months, Burt jokingly tells Kurt that he might as well give him the manager title, as he does more to keep the place together than Burt ever managed to do. Kurt grins at him, a feeling of belonging settling deep in his gut.

That evening, he goes home and looks up every single business school in the country.

Blaine ends up joining the Glee club at McKinley, admitting that he’s always loved to sing, but never feeling right about joining a choir or glee club without knowing if he’d be able to commit. His love of performing only grows as time passes, and by the time December rolls around, he tells Kurt that he’s going to be applying to every musical theater program he can find in New York.

After hearing that, Kurt narrows his searches to business programs in New York. He finds a wonderful one in NYU, but balks at the school’s price. No way would his mother ever be able to pay for that. He switches his searches to community colleges with business programs instead and finds a couple of suitable ones. He finds a decent program through CUNY, at a much better price, and his mind is made.

His application is sent within the week.

His mother cries when he tells her that he wants to go to New York, though she promises that it’s just because she will miss him so much, not because she doesn’t want him to go. Finn and Rachel cry as well, and tell him the same thing as she does.

“It sucks that you’re leaving so soon,” Finn says, hugging him close. “It feels like we just became a family, you know? A real one.”

Kurt smiles and tells him, “We’ll always be a family, even if I’m in New York. I promise.”

His acceptance letter comes relatively quickly, and Finn and Rachel take them all out to Breadstix to celebrate. Quinn and Burt try to pitch in with the bill, but Rachel glares at them both until they back off. Blaine chuckles at the antics, and Kurt kisses him on the cheek.

It isn’t long before Blaine receives audition requests from several of the universities he applied to, including one from his top choice, NYADA. Rachel almost bursts with excitement when Blaine gives the news at a Friday night dinner, and proceeds to take over the conversation for the evening. Apparently NYADA is her alma mater, and by the time the evening is through, she has made it her personal goal to get Blaine accepted to the school.

“You really don’t have to go through the trouble,” Blaine says. “I know you’re starting Wicked rehearsals soon, and then you’ll be going on tour… You’ll be so busy.”

“Not busy enough to stop me from helping my future son-in-law,” she says, grinning widely. “Really, Blaine, if you want an education in musical theater, you won’t find a better one. I promise that I’m going to get you into that school, okay?”

Blaine looks like he wants to argue some more, but Kurt just takes his hand and shakes his head. Blaine should know by now that Rachel should not be challenged when she is on a mission.

Kurt manages to sneak into McKinley to watch Blaine’s audition, and almost laughs out loud at the look on Blaine’s face when the auditioner mentions the very persuasive last-minute letter of recommendation they’d received on his behalf from Rachel Berry. She praises Blaine’s talent, and practically offers Blaine a position at the school on the spot. Kurt hurries to find Blaine when the audition is over and kisses the shit out of him, ignoring the eye-rolls from the couple of other NYADA wanna-be-students.

“We’re going to New York, Blaine.”

“Kurt, I still haven’t got in!” Blaine laughs.

Kurt just kisses him again, and says, “We’re going to New York.”

Within the month Blaine receives his admission letter to NYADA. He accepts the very same day, and that evening it’s Burt who buys them all dinner, more than proud of his soon-to-be adopted son’s achievement.

The adoption process drags a bit, though apparently not as much as it could. Their court date is set near Blaine’s graduation, but Blaine is continuously worried that it’ll get pushed back and he’ll have to travel back from New York in order to attend it. Kurt promises him that everything will be okay, but that doesn’t really do much to calm Blaine’s nerves, as apparently, “You can’t promise that, Kurt, you don’t _know_ that.”

Nothing ends up going wrong, though. His court date isn’t moved back, and neither of his parents attempt to challenge the adoption request.

Kurt, Quinn, and Finn all attend the hearing, with Rachel on Facetime, clapping and crying when Burt is declared to be Blaine’s legal father. Finn, Quinn, and Burt all chip in for Chinese food to celebrate. It’s one of the happiest days of Kurt’s life.

Then, Blaine graduates, and before they know it they’re sitting at their last Friday night dinner before their move to New York. Rachel has managed to come to this one, held in Burt and Blaine’s home, and Kurt almost bursts into tears at the sight of her.

They all sit around the table and share far too much food. All four adults look like they could burst into tears at any moment, and Kurt tries to pretend that he isn’t extremely happy that he can garner this attention from them.

Some days, he still can’t believe how lucky he is. Two years ago he had a boyfriend that was only dating him to rebel against his parents, a mother stuck in a never-ending toxic relationship, and an absent piece-of-shit father. Now, he has a boyfriend who loves him and is moving to New York with him, a happy and carefree mother who six months ago threatened a restraining order against Puck if he didn’t stop calling her sporadically, and three other amazing parental figures who all care about him as though he were their own son.

Blaine seems to notice that he’s drifted off a little and bumps their shoulders together. “You okay, Kurt?”

Kurt smiles. He leans forward and kisses Blaine, ignoring the cat-calls from the four adults.

“I’ve never been better.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [rebloggable on tumblr](http://klaineanummel.tumblr.com/post/180658216455/eighteen-going-on-extinct-2020-epilogue)

**Author's Note:**

> [rebloggable on tumblr](http://klaineanummel.tumblr.com/post/178016755995/eighteen-going-on-extinct-120)


End file.
